Sleepy man's chest
by Azazel554
Summary: A young man, a dreamer who always wanted to live big adventures like his heroes. One day, the World has decided to give him what he wanted and even more, by making him cross the ways of women whose he is going to mark their lives during their odyssey together. And maybe they are going to mark him as well? The tale of a dreamer on the big seas. Cover by Ink-D ub
1. Sleepy man

**This is my first fanfiction, so if you like, don't forget to put a review. I'm also open to any criticism: good and constructive or bad and disapproving.**

* * *

Far away from the lands, the hills and the most well-known place by the knowledge of men a bridge to others frontiers which cannot be crossed by the walk and the stretch of a battlefield between empires against the kingdom or sometimes men against… creatures. Some animals which seem to only exist in the stories you tell to your children for avoiding them to have the desire to explore this immeasurable landscape.

The Sea.

Each being, with gills but without hands or with hands without gills, and sometimes with both came from the Sea. And each one will one day, return to it.

But despite all of this, the Sea fascinated men who were seeking for gold and glory, or adventures and discoveries. And our story begins with one of them.

In the docks of Royal Woods, Michigan: a picture of a perfect neighborhood close to the shore living on the floor made from the woods that come from its forest for which one this port was known for its durability and quality superior from any sort of wood from America. But the harbor was also famous for being the commercial center at the little village that was Royal Woods: The shops were almost all little stands where villagers could sell to strangers or inhabitants some good products like local fruits and vegetables some sold condiments whose are precious salt, sugar, pepper and even some exotic spices from famous British colonies.

And a pawn shop owned by an infamous old man known to everyone in the neighborhood to the nickname of Flips: despite his rude behavior with his employees he was well appreciated by the strangers who were just passing by, and even more by the rare nobles who entered his shop. It was like a trap for those who were naïve enough to enter and think that they could leave without something; the slogan of Flips was like a prophecy bound to happen each time "everything for everyone any time", simple yet extremely efficient.

However, just at the left side of the pawn shop was situated a more modest and less visited stall. This was the fishing shop which sold chum, hooks of all size, fishing roads and fishing nets with various forms and thickness of ropes what comes to the tiniest shrimps to ones for the captures of big sharks with their enormous mouth filled with razor sharped teeth that could take to pieces even the strongest man. Like usual there weren't as many clients as waited for this kind of shop, for saying no one at all but what was more out of the picture that was that even the owner of the said shop was missing too. The man in question was actually not far away from the stall but he wasn't as close as though neither: his body was there but his mind was having another priority at the moment.

Wandering through the crowd of the marketplace of this little town, he was actually searching someone and this someone was his only son. Checking any young man he would notice on his way, he thought of the way about how he could bring back his heir to the right path: one of the family traditions.

While the fisherman was wandering in the west part of the town, in one of the somber alley of the docks, where merchandises brought by the boats were exchanged, was resting between two concretes, a chest. But not a chest where was put gold or precious stones, but different fruits for the crew whose belonged it… At least it was supposed to.

But on the inside of the chest you won't find apples, strawberries, bananas or even kiwis, but you will find a young man cramped in there: the head resting on one of the walls of the big box, the back arched, the kneels curved and the feet resting on the other side of the chest.

The boy is wearing a red bandana who covered almost all his hair, letting out only a bit at the left side of the head, which seemed to be white or a very lighted platinum blonde, with a slightly opened orange shirt which got the sleeves rolled up at the elbows. He's also wearing common brown pants and boots. The head of the young one was peacefully resting in the palms of his hand behind his head. As for his facial features, the boy had freckles on both sides of his face and a prominent chipped tooth and a beginning of white goatee rested on his chin, apart from that his face was almost clean with only the rest of an eaten apple on a corner not far from his mouth. He was letting light sounds of what seemed a snoring coming out of his mouth.

But as soon as the fully filled with a man chest began to be lifted, the head of the boy slipped off his hands and hit the wall of wood. The hit hurt enough for waking the boy but not for disturbing the persons who were transporting the chest.

"Ouch! But why did I take a wall? And why is my room moving?" grumbled the boy holding his hurting head. After what seemed long minute of pain but in reality, seconds, the boy checked one more time his surrounding before realizing that it was not his room. "Oh right. I forgot why I was here in the first place." and turning his head to the reader "Oh! There you are! You're certainly asking yourself why I slept in someone's chest this night?"

Realizing that is was a question who couldn't have a reply he followed "And it seems that this someone is taking it back, that would explain the rumbling."

Taking notice of the position of the box, he realized that the chest was being carried and by listening to the step on the wood floor of the port he assumed that it must be only one guy, strong enough to carry a chest where inside was a 64 kg boy.

"Hum. He won't be very happy and I'll have to explain why I was in there... Meh! I'll figure something out!"

Realizing you are still here, he clears his throat.

"Well, I don't know how long it will be before they realize there aren't any more fruits in there but I suppose I could use this time to tell you why I'm in a chest hiding from my father."

* * *

 **YESTERDAY NIGHT**

It was the beginning of the afternoon, every stall was closing and clients like sellers were on their way to home, even the grumpy Flips was letting his assistants depart for home after having exploited them for the day. Everyone except in the fishing shop: the shop was closing yes, but the workers lived in there too. Behind the counter, was a corridor with a stair which led to the second floor of the building what was the modest Loud residence.

There were only three rooms in one was the room of the adults who lived here, the second was a more little yet somehow comfortable enough was the room of the only son of the house and the last one was at the same time the kitchen and the dining room. Composed of a wood table, three chairs, and a fireplace with above, a cooking pot. In one corner of the room is a little shelf with books of all size filling it from the bottom to the half of the second level , leaving the third one empty all the books were about tales of the seas, others were about « le savoir vivre français » as for the remaining they were reports of sailors and admiral from their discoveries and journeys on the ocean, those were published by the government in order to interest people with the exploits of heroes and as for a way to spread the desire to take the sea for serving the British Navy.

The matriarch of the little household is currently cooking a fish soup again, like yesterday, and the day before it, and before it… She is wearing a red dress that stops just beneath her knees, with an apron and a white coif what covered almost all of her short blonde hair.

Opening the door of the small residence, the patriarch of the family and the official owner of the name, Mr. Loud. "Good evening, Rita," said Mr. Loud greeting his wife while he was taking his place at the table.

"Evening dear, how was your day at the shop?" Greeted Rita to her husband while not looking away from the table where she is cutting peppers to add in the soup.

"Business don't follow the expectations. What about you, any luck at the market?" While Mr. Loud sold fishing materials, Mrs. Loud sold all the fishes that her son and husband could catch.

Putting her knife aside and bringing her sliced peppers to the pot she answered: "Alas I didn't sell as many as wanted, nowadays people seem more interested in exotic foods that come from the dense forest of the south of the country." Saying it with a sad tone at the end.

Hearing this, the man put on a sad smile, got up and walked towards her before embracing her from behind. "It's okay, we'll found a way out like we always did."

Returning the embrace she replies with "I know, but still we can't keep going like this. What about Lincoln?" She asked while returning to face her husband. "What about him?".

"Well, he can inherit the lead of the store like I did with my father who himself inherited it from his father."

"We're talking about Lincoln here not you Lynn, you know how he is."

This time a bit annoyed he responded with "Oh come on! What do you want him to do? To go on the Ocean and face dangers like storms, scurvy and worse of all…pirates!" saying this with a mix of fear and disgust by naming those cruel people who inspired fear in the heart of the villagers of a small town like Royal Woods.

Well aware now of the thoughts of her husband she could just reply quickly by shaking her head "No! No! You're right, I don't know what I was thinking…"

"It's okay Rita you're his mother, it's normal that you worry about him."

At this instant some noises are heard in the direction of the "hall door", creaking noises which were coming from the stairs.

"Speaking of the devil, you should go back to the table, it's ready." She said while freeing herself from the embrace of the man and return to her pot that was boiling.

As Lynn was returning to his seat the door creaks wide open, showing the only son of the little household of fishers: Lincoln Loud

"Good evening dad, good evening mom, what's for dinner?" He asked while he closed the door behind him and took his seat at the right of his father.

"Fish soup with carrots and peppers, sweetie."

«Oh again...I think I'll just have no dinner tonight but thanks, mom."

"If you want, sweetie." She reluctantly says but understanding the annoyance of her son for only eating this every night.

« So Lincoln, I didn't see you a the shop today where were you? »Asked the father wanting to begin a new conversation with his son

A bit took aback by the question he answers with a bit of hesitation "Sorry Dad, but I was listening to the story of a sailor who said had served under the leadership of the Admiral Savy so I think I lost the notion of time. Sorry again. But like promised I helped the doctor Henry today and he gave me my two pounds of the day."

In the little house, the admiration Lincoln Loud has for the Admiral Savy was well known: Since he discovered him in one of his reports books at the age of five he wanted to become a great sailor, to navigate in the name of the government and hunt down the pirates all over the world like him. The Admiral was his hero, even more: His model of a right and good man.

With an understanding smile, his father replied "It's okay. I'm glad that you take the time to help people but when one day me too I'll need you in the shop. I'm not young anymore and someday you're the one who's going to take the lead of it."

Now embarrassed the boy could only mutter "Riiiiiight... Hum...Well about that, I found something interesting today on my way home."

"And what is that, son?" Asked Lynn, now a bit more intrigued by the tone of his son, like he was going to say something that could maybe explode in his face.

"Well…How to say it? I heard that a captain was passing by and was searching for new crew members so I thought that maybe…"

"No!" said bluntly his father while taking his bowl of soup served by Rita.

"OH, COME ON! Why?!" asked Lincoln in a desperate tone.

"You already know why Lincoln: I want you to take my place at the shop after I retire like I did with your grandfather, and like he did with his.."

"Who did with his own before him!" said Lincoln by cutting his father "I already know that Dad. It's just that I'm not feeling this is what I should do, I want to do more, I want to…"

"TO SAIL AND DIE ON THE SEA LIKE ALL THE OTHERS FOOLS BEFORE YOU, THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT?" Shout the father to his son, annoyed by his childish behavior. "AS LONG AS YOU LIVE IN MY HOUSE YOU'LL DO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO! I AM CLEAR YOUNG MAN?!"

This time this was the boy who was enraged by the closed minded that was his father "YES! VERY CLEAR! AS LONG AS I AM IN THIS HOUSE I'LL NEVER BE FREE THEN I'LL JUST LEAVE!" Shouted the young man in return

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

"LINCOLN STOP THIS! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Shouted with concern this time Rita who watched the whole scene without saying anything but thought this discussion was going too far.

"I DON'T KNOW! ANYWHERE IS BETTER THAN HERE!" Declared Lincoln before running at the door and disappear into the night.

* * *

 **Now**

"Then after this, I fled to the port where I found this chest wide open and filled with fruits. So, I jumped in and eat what I could (for not saying the whole thing) then with a filled stomach and a very tired and upset mind I fell asleep in the chest." summarized the boy

"And here we are, fellows. That's how I ended up in there. I must confess that my outburst was coming from many others arguments we had on this subject and that I was keeping to myself during all this time. So exaggerated or not what happened is not my fault but my father's for who the traditions are more important than his child's happiness."

Suddenly the box is what seemed to be dropped on the floor and stopped moving.

"I guess it's my stop, with luck this is surely a big monkey whose lacking some cases so I can tell him that he mistook me for another chest."

Then he turns toward you think you are giving him a disapproving look

"What you have a better idea ?!"

Suddenly the chest is opened from the exterior, the bright light of the sun blinding the poor boy in the box. Then a shadow, towering the young man whose eyes are still in pain from the light, appeared and shoot

«WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY FRUITS CHEST !?»

While he is still trying to find his senses, because still blinded by the shining rays of the sun, Lincoln is violently pulled by the collar of his shirt out of the box. After being pulled out to the waist he was greeted to his new surroundings with several gasps and a very, very angry glare from the man who was holding him. He was at the eyes level with the sailor, in them he could see pure hatred: Lincoln knew what he did was bad and disrespectful; but damn! He never saw someone hate him that much. Lost in the eyes of the holder he was snapped back into reality with the grip which tightened and the voice had this time clear annoyance but predominantly the anger shot back

"YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER OR WHAT, YOU SCUM?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE AND WHERE ARE ALL MY FRUITS ?!"

Filled with fear, by the justified outburst of anger, Lincoln tried to look as calm and stoic as possible (easier said than done) he cleared his throat and replied with an uncertain and intimidated tone "We-Well my dear gentleman it seems that this is a misunderstood, you see in reality this chest is my property and I slept in it this night. I-I know it seems odd but it's more comfortable than it looks"

After the quick explanation, the sailor seemed a bit confused then check back with the swift movement of the eyes the chest where he was still holding the boy. During this quick motion of his assailant, the boy noticed several details on the face in front of him: First the man in question didn't really seems older than him, in fact, he'd given him the same age as him. Then the boy had freckles on both sides of his face too, with big green eyes and long eyelashes, a bit too long for a boy. He had long brown hair tied in a big ponytail.

After what seemed to be minutes of facial study, but just three milliseconds, the glaring returned with more furrowed brows and teeth that were clutched so strongly, Lincoln could have sworn he heard them squeeze each other. He was then pulled out entirely from the chest and throw at the left of the sailor, he flew during one second before his back hit something.

Painfully but surely the boy put a hand on his hurting back and the other reach for something to hold for finding again his balance. His right hand grabbed something made of wood, what seemed to be the edge of a deck. After having finally found his senses he raised his head to see three sails linked to one mast. Then it hit him: he was on a boat, on the boat of the crew which one now missed a fruit reserve because of him… "Oh boy! How I'm going to get out of this?" Lincoln thought.

"Not only you tried to smuggle on board of our boat BUT you also pigged out one of our reserve of fruit and you cannot even lie correctly!" Grumbled the upset sailor.

Now having a full view of the person who awoke him he could see that he is wearing the same clothes he is wearing, except that the shirt was closed and red. The only thing he had and Lincoln didn't is a big brown coat that stopped just behind the knees and if you looked at him from the right or the left you'd see that the collar of the coat was so high that it would cover the half of his face.

"Hey! You ate your tongue too or what? ANSWER ME, BEAVER BOY!" Snapped back the sailor annoyed by the silence that Lincoln was giving him.

Now regaining his composure, Lincoln stood back up, looked at the man in front of him and finally respond "Mister, I didn't try to sneak on board of your vessel, I just found this chest very comfortable and slept in. Regarding your fruits, if I see the slob who devoured them you'll be the first one to be informed of it. Now if you excuse me…"

"STOP LYING FOR GOD SAKES! YOU STILL HAVE CRUMBS OF ONE OF MY APPLES ON YOUR FACE, YOU PIG!" Shouted the really frustrated sailor.

Brushing his fingers to the corners of his mouth, he effectively found some leftover of his "dinner" and cleaned it off before shrugging

"Okay. I confess: I did it. But I assure you it was for a good reason, sir."

"BY GOD'S SAKE! STOP CALLING ME SIR: I'M A WOMAN!" Shouted (again) the now revelated woman.

"WHAT?!" was all Lincoln could say after such a revelation because there wasn't a single hint of femininity in her. Her frame was mostly hidden by the large coat and her chest wasn't really developed either. This news struck so much the boy that all he could do was to stare jaw open and wide-eyed at the girl in front of him.

"HO, COME ON! YOU CAN'T BE SO DUMB, DON'T YOU?" A high-pitched voice resonated at the right of the astonished boy.

Glancing toward the source of the voice, Lincoln eyes widen: 4 other girls stand there watching the whole argument from the beginning.

Unlike the first one, those four looked somehow like women. Both of them seemed to be 11 years old girls and they looked alike except that one of the two is wearing a red bandana which covered her blonde hair that is tied in one little ponytail behind her head, and the other one wears nothing on the head but has a ponytail too except that it was tied with a pink ribbon.

An older one was wearing boots, pants with a yellow scarf around the waist with a grey short sleeved shirt. She had a bucked tooth and wore on her head a yellow bandana with a big ponytail of light brown hair.

As for the last one, she looked nothing like the others girls, she was a real woman. A tall woman with long blonde hair and a dress which hugged her hourglass frame with a belt. And MAZETTE! What a beauty: Such a smooth and cute face with big light blue eyes.

During his daydreaming he didn't notice the first girl coming toward him, only the light of the sun shining on her sword made him realize. The sword is lifted and is coming down on the boy who with a real swift motion grabbed something from his back and use it to block the blade.

A sound of metal clanking is heard, then with a gasp, all the girls on the boat were greeted with an unusual vision: the boy had stopped the sword with a hand-made hook he took from the behind of his pants where it was dangling from the beginning.

The sword rattled a bit against the hook which prevents the blade to go further. Lincoln could feel the superior strength of the girl attacking him. Too weak to maintain the blade he suddenly pushes the sword out of the grip of his 'weapon' making the girl stumbles and steps backward her original position near the chest.

"Attacking when the opponent doesn't have his attention on the fight. Only a real pirate would do something like that," retorted Lincoln with a cocky smile

Pointing the sword towards him she replies "Don't dare to say that I'm the pirate when you smuggle your way on a boat and stole its goods, beaver boy," she replied with a great sourness in her voice.

"Well girls I think it's time we call this party up, we tie this rat and wait for the return of the captain who 'll decide of the appropriate punishment, right?" The bucked tooth girl offered to her companions

"Are you sure Luan? Because my watch says it's half 11", surprisingly said the tall blonde while looking at a pocket watch she just got from her chest.

'How can she keeps something like this in the-WAIT SHE SAID HALF 11 !? THE CAPTAIN IS AT THE BAR ONLY UNTIL NOON! I'M LATE! AND THIS IS MY ONLY CHANCE TO GET OUT OF HERE!' Thought in a panic the trapped boy. 'I must think of something and quick!' Now rapidly checking his environment for a way out: a loose rope was dangling in the wind at his left 'Could I use it? no too high.' He took a step back to look at the sea behind him 'Swim maybe? Nah coming wet to a recruitment is not a way to introduce you to a captain and that would take too much time.' Then his vision led him to the side of the ship where he saw 3 canons holes opened and the one in the middle didn't have his canon in. He had found his way out or IN, in this case.

"What you're doing?Wondering if you sink well?" Asked the glaring woman with her sword still aiming for the 'smuggler'

"A vrai dire , mesdemoiselles, oui !" Replied the boy with a newfound confidence and grin while returning his gaze to the group of women.

(In fact, ladies, yes !)

Dumbfounded by his change of behavior (and mostly because they didn't understand what he said) the girls watched him climb backward the edge of the ship before jumping while looking at them. All of them ran to the rim of the boat hearing no ploof from the water. Seeing no one resurface the women could only question themselves "Where did he go?"

"Do you think, like, he was a ghost?" Asked the now scared Leni

"Ghosts don't eat fruits, Leni." Answer the searching Luan, aware of any movement she could see at the water surface. "And even if it was one it couldn't have blocked the sword of Lynn: it would have gone through him."

"Maybe Lynn wasn't strong enough to go through him?"

"ARE YOU SAYING THAT I'M WEAKER THAN A STUPID AND DISGUSTING MA-"

A sound of metal rattling on wood caught their attention to the side of the boat where their sight meet what seemed to be a glimpse of the hook of the almost said man going into one of the gunports.

"AH! He's way more idiot than he looks! He trapped himself! Let's go get him." Commanded victoriously Lynn to her feminine fellows who just followed her as she descended in the gundeck. Once here, nobody. Only the six canons with each their own barrel of powder at their side were present.

"Now I'm sure it's a ghost and it's haunting us!" Cried the now terrified Leni at the sight of a lifeless deck.

"And I'm sure all he wants is to lift up our spirits up. Ah!Ah! Get it?"

"Would you both shut up a bit?! We need to find him so I can cut his little ass." Then turning to the little twins she ordered "Lola, Lana I want you both to check the sides of the deck."

"I take the right!" Lana said

"Then I take the left!" Responded Lola.

"Leni, Luan I want you to check the barrels." Commanded Lynn to the other girl

"If you want, Tiny Lori." luan replied, annoyed by her attitude before going followed by the nod of Leni

All of them go for their duty while Lynn was crossing the deck to check the other side of the place for the escaped boy. But during all this time, the boy watched the whole scene from behind a cannonball filled concrete in a dark corner. After all the girls moved away from the stair which led to the exterior of the boat he moved closer to it the stealthiest way as possible. When he reached it, he kept his pace while sometimes glancing in the direction of the girls to see if they noticed or heard him. They didn't seem to.

Once outside he searched for something heavy and spotted the chest where in which he 'made his way on board'. He pushed it until it was near the entrance of the gundeck "That won't be enough… " He muttered to himself. He spotted another chest but this time filed with woman clothes, it had enough in it to make it super heavy. He pushed it next to the other one and prepared himself.

He closed to shut the hold which led toward the gundeck, stepped on it and pulled the first chest on it quickly got behind the second and pushed it until it was in contact with the first one. He heard the door tried to be opened with loud thumps, but in vain.

"I would have stayed longer but I have an appointment to attempt. But you can always remember this as the day where you almost caught Lincoln Loud. Now if you excuse me," said proudly the boy to the closed hold. He then walked out of the ship to find again the shore of the port. Glancing at the ship one last time to at least see if he had recognized it. And he guessed right, it was a Sloop: boat strong despite their little size and well known for their speed even without winds.

"Stop the daydreaming for today. I must meet this captain McCory if I want to have a place in his crew," and on this though, he left and went to the bar on the docks.

* * *

Running on the way to the docks bar, Lincoln repeated himself all of his achievement made so far and skills gained during his life. Anxious and excited to meet this captain who could bring him on the sea maybe on an adventure: It wasn't an opportunity he would dare miss.

Passing by the stales of the marketplace he realized that he'll have to pass in front of the familial fishing shop, in front of his house. He began to slow his pace now hesitating to keep following his road or cut by passing in town :If he passed in front of the store he would probably face his dad and he didn't really want that after the last night but cutting by the town would just lead to a longer road he'd probably lose time. He didn't want the latter so he opted for the first choice. A feeling of guilt passed through him at the memory of their ordeal: being angry at their parents for not letting you they choose who you wanted to be was normal but shooting at them and disappear the following day was not.

Now walking he starts to think, "They didn't ask for that but they don't care about my feelings so… is that right ?" he sighed, "I don't know… I should have got used to it now, they always refused to let me sail. When I was younger I understand but now I'm 17, I'm not a child anymore.»

Now, the sight of the store begins to appear before Lincoln. Hopefully, the first floor didn't have windows so if someone was in he could pass peacefully but the second has a window which led to the dining room.

"I'll just pass below it." thought Lincoln with a bit of shame. It reminded him of when he didn't want to work at the store, he planned to go see if someone in town needed as an excuse and furthermore he could always gain something from it: some pounds to add to his savings or a new skill.

He moved in the shadow formed in front of the store and pass by, took a last glance at the window and continued on his path.

Later, he finally arrived at the front of 'the drunken clam', a bar where all the sailors who just accosted could come and forget their misfortune on the sea. Or for some spend some of their new fortunes in beer, rum and all other sorts of alcohol the barman would accept to sell.

When he pushed the doors he was greeted with the sight of a filled establishment: all the tables were taken by sailors from merchant ships a bit of smoke was at the ceiling created by some cigars which were smoked in every corner of the bar. Music was heard in the background, played by locals musicians but oddly this song seemed more energetic almost alien to the boy, but he couldn't deny that it was really good: You could tell that the player was putting so much energy and passion into it, "Maybe one of the clients decided to play while they're on the lands."

Many girls in uniforms were running from every table, they were called the 'pearls' of the bar: with their uniforms consisting of a white skirt and apron, and a green blouse. Some were carrying plates with different assert of drinks in it and others carried empty plates to the counter where all the bottles were slowly but surely emptied.

One of the busy barmaids stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed Lincoln standing in the doorway. She was wearing her attire like the others and had short black hair with a hairband in. She showed a big smile and called him, "Hey Lincoln! I didn't know you were working today! You're taking a shift?" then flashing a sly grin and narrowing her eyes "Or are you here to consume for once?"

"Velia I already told you, I'm not old enough to buy rum besides before that I must become a true sailor." Said proudly the boy putting his fists on his hips and sticking out his chest.

All the maid could do was giggling at the sight, "You're just too cute sometimes. Aaah! How come you still didn't find a girl for you?"

The face of Lincoln flushed with an embarrassment and his body returned to his normal composure. This subject has always been a troublesome one: during his lifetime, he felt attracted to girls his age, or sometimes older girls. He loved them, he was sure of it but all the girls he knew had something he wasn't looking for or didn't have this something he was looking for. He himself didn't know what he was looking for. So that's why he had never been with someone because he didn't know what qualities or flaws he wanted to find.

"Anyway, what's bringing you here today, sweetie?"

Regaining his composure he answered, "I-I'm looking for a captain who is searching for new crewmembers and I was told he'd be here you know where I can find him?"

"Oh!An opportunity to sail and you didn't want to miss it, uh? Well, sorry sweetie, but I don't know where he is and I'm too busy to help you but you can always ask his friend. He's the one actually playing with the group right now."

"Really? Thanks, Velia", Men from the seas were really something else.

"No problems and good luck, Linc."

After this little encounter, Lincoln made his way to the corner where the group of musician practiced and given his atmosphere to the establishment. But like he noticed earlier the music was not the same: it has something new, something… rocking? He didn't know why but this word without any meaning transposed perfectly the feeling the music was giving.

He stopped after passing some occupied chairs in front of the musician group. Normally they were four: one who played tabor, the second played mandolin and the third and fourth played guitar and violin. However another person was in the group this time, a stranger which seemed to bring the..what already ?..rocking feeling in them.

It seemed that they had finished the last song as they were acclaimed by the public with some claps and even the musicians were facing the public except the new one who seemed to be adjusting their guitar.

The stranger suddenly turned and shouts with a raspy voice and a very distinguishable British accent "THANK YOU ROYAL WOODS!WOOHOO!"

Now approaching the group Lincoln could distinct this person was a woman: She wears a black purple coat, black jeans with a big leather belt. A lighter purple shirt under the coat which clung to the shape of her chest. That's when his eyes saw it, he realized it was a woman. Mainly because of her short brown hair it was difficult to say.

"Do all girls want to look like men now? Sheesh, I think I'll just never understand them." Lincoln thought while shaking his head

"DO SOME OF YOU WANT AN ENCORE?"

Some in the public shooted back that they wanted another song.

"Ok!Ok!Now we all know that after many days of sailing there is nothing best than a good drink, am I right ?"

They cheered back to her as an answer

"OW YEAH! And you're lucky today because I remember a good song about how good a glass of rum and beer can be."

After this, she began a solo to set the rhythm to her companion. Everyone started to figure out what song she was talking about, even Lincoln did: She was going to sing a pirate's song.

At first, some men in the crowd started to feel unsure about it, it wasn't really forbidden but thinking about pirates could bring bad luck, that was what Lincoln's parents always told him about the pirate: They all were heartless monster who were just wandering in the sea, waiting for a poor fool to fall into their trap and take all their property and even, take out the soul of their body. Maybe the last part was just overstatement but this is always a good way to prevent a child to go on the sea.

Lincoln couldn't help but smirk at this though.

After one minute, the other musician began playing and she started to sing.

 **Piracy's a crime and crime doesn't pay,**

 **And we go home poor at the end of the day.**

 **But I'd rather live my life in rags**

 **Than be taped to a desk with a wife that's a hag.**

 **We live each day like there's nothing to lose,**

 **But a man has needs and that need is booze.**

 **They say all the best things in life are free**

 **So give all your beer and your rum to me.**

 **We are here to drink your beer**

 **And steal your rum at the point of a gun**

 **Your alcohol to us will fall '**

 **Cause we are here to drink your beer**

 **Drink!Drink!**

Led by the music some clients shouted with the singer as she suddenly jumped on a near table close to Lincoln, causing him to flinch a bit. And now he watched in awe the woman playing and singing above him.

 **Drink !Drink !Drink !**

 **We sailed overseas for Wenches and Mead**

 **And told great tales of The Huntmaster's deeds**

 **The quest for a drop of the Famous Ol' Spiced**

 **Has shown us the wrath of Leviathan's bites.**

Catching a glance at her crowd listening and singing with her made her sing louder and rocking her head back and forth. But her movements stopped when her gaze felt on Lincoln who was watching her silently at her feet as she was standing up on a table. Who suddenly felt embarrassed at first but then tried singing the lyrics with her. Which her made smile even more as she kept singing.

 **We went Back Through Time to get more Rum**

 **Though we end up Shipwrecked having no fun**

 **But Big Bad Pirates we must be**

 **So give all your beer and your rum to me.**

 **We are here to drink your beer**

 **And steal your rum at the point of a gun**

 **Your alcohol to us will fall '**

 **Cause we are here to drink your beer**

 **Drink!Drink!Drink!Drink!**

Now we could swear that all the occupants, that meant the drinkers, the maids, and even the busy barman, in the bar were standing up, drinks in their hands shouting, singing in unison

 **DRINK!DRINK!DRINK!DRINK!**

She stopped singing and playing, now panting as she watched the whole bar cheering and acclaiming her.

"THANK YOU AGAIN!THAT'S ALL FOR ME TODAY! YOU WERE GREAT!"

She saluted her public and group one last time before Jumping of the table and turning then pointing her finger to a startled Lincoln

"And you! You, mate! Why didn't you sing earlier?You have a sweet voice for a lad!"

The face of Lincoln flushed red from the compliment "Th-Thank you miss, you have a nice voice too."

By his reaction, the woman could only laugh at the sight of the cute and embarrassed boy in front of her. And polite on top of that.

Lincoln suddenly remember why he was here in the first place, so after regaining his composure and a normal shade of face he asks "Hm, miss do you actually know where I can find the companion of the captain McCory? I heard he was here but I didn't see him play."

"Oh, in this case, it's your lucky day because you're asking the good person, Love. She is in front of you: Luna, first mate of the Medusa crew, at your service," she answered, bowing before him and now holding her guitar with her left hand.

"Wait! Is a woman the first mate of a crew?" Was the only answer the surprised boy could mutter.

"Your reaction is totally normal, Love. So why do you need to see the captain?" She asked while standing up

"Well, I heard that your captain is looking for new members so I thought about taking the chance."

Her smile suddenly disappeared, leaving only a worried frown, "Oh!Are you sure about this, boy? Because I don't want to disappoint you but let's say that the captain is a bit selective about the choice of the crewmates."

"Don't worry about me I got plenty of skills that can be useful and I know some things about navigation too."

"I don't really know," responded Luna after bringing her hand to her neck.

"Please!" It was his only chance and he didn't want to miss it,"I'll do anything to be in, even if its temporary!"

Then she thought in silence for ten seconds. She broke the silence by answering, "We can always give it a try…" Lincoln suddenly put his fists in the air and wanted to shoot in victory but is stopped by Luna who has put her finger to his lips for shutting him, "BUT! Remember I'm not promising anything! I can bring you to the captain and try to blow your own trumpet but you'll have to make the remaining of the negotiations!Understood?"

"YES! THANK YOU SO MUCH LUNA!I OWE YOU ONE !" said Lincoln with surely the biggest smile he had done in his life.

"He's going to be eaten alive… Let's hope she is in good mood now..." thought Luna before starting to leave followed closely by an excited and hopeful Lincoln.

* * *

 _ **The song is Drink by Alestorm. All the rights belong to them**_


	2. First steps

As both Lincoln and Luna were making their way to a corner far from the rest of the people, the atmosphere remained as cheerful at the end of the song. Some men were still singing the refrain of the song about the pirates who take away all your rum and beer.

"It's always so full in there?" Asked Luna, by taking a glance at the boy who was still following her.

"No. It's like that only when some sailors from merchant ships accost and want to drink before leaving. It's their only occasion to drink before weeks on the sea so they take the opportunity while they have it. And sometimes some guys who were lucky on their trip spend what they found like golden things, and even some gem. Once an old man brought some silver and golden teeth he found on a skeleton on one of his research in the bay. The barman threw him out because he didn't want to have something that belonged to a corpse."

"You seem to know well this kind of things. How comes?" asked Luna, surprised by the amount of details.

"Well, sometimes I replace one of the girls when they need rest so-"

"Wait, so you wear the skirt too?" Said Luna after stopping her walk to stare at Lincoln before going into a laughter.

"No-no, I don't. And I'm not only a **waiter** but I also work as the barman sometimes, so I know how it's like working here." responded an embarrassed Lincoln. Frankly, it wasn't the first time someone laughed at him for replacing the maids of the bar from time to time. In the beginning, the regular customers made him their subject of mockery but as time flies they had got the habit of seeing him bring their drinks instead of a girl. And normally he didn't care anymore, but when it was a girl who brought the subject, suddenly he became uncomfortable again.

"Ok! Ok! Pretty boy, if the captain lets you sail with us, I'll remember this you can count on it!" Now calming herself but still giggling at the revelation. "Yeah, I think I'll call you like that: Pretty boy. Cute, no?"

"Please, don't"

"Too late. I think it suits you pretty well." She turned to walk again as she muttered, "Just like the skirt would too..." Now leaving a flustered and confused Lincoln as he was still standing here until he quickly remembered to follow her.

"Here we are, the box of the captain." Stopped Luna showing a table with four chairs that surrounded it. On one the chair was an unknown person who was sitting with arms and legs crossed on the table. They had a long blue coat, they wore it without passing the arms in the sleeves so it was supported by their shoulders. Their face was hidden by a black tricorn hat with a big white feather on it.

Lincoln just stared at the stranger that was supposed to be the captain. He became anxious and began sweating. Luna noticed and approached, then asked him.

"Hey, what's the matter? You seemed so confident two minutes ago and now you look like a guy who is walking on the plank."

Her worried tone reassured him because it reminded him of his mother when she knew something was up with her son.

"It's just that… This is my only chance to get out of here. Go see the world and discover new things, meet new people. For so long I dreamed about the lands described in my books. And as time flies I was beginning to resign myself to give up this stupid dream. And now this is happening. I'm just afraid to mess up my only opportunity."

Luna didn't know what to say. At one instant she was just helping a guy to get in her crew and now she was listening to his hopes and dreams, which could be shattered at any moment. She was in loss for words but seeing the sadness in the boy's eyes she decided to say something, she put her hands on his shoulder, he looked at her.

"So first, you shouldn't tell so many details of your life to a stranger. And second, I understand what you're passing through but panicking won't help you."

She turned her head to see her captain and return her eyes to the boy.

"She can be a bit impressive at first but the captain is a nice person, I assure you mate. So, what about this? You calm down, I ask the captain to give you an interview and I let you do the rest."

"Thanks, Luna. But why are you doing all of this? Bringing me to your captain, cheering me up… like you said I'm a stranger, you don't have to do this."

Hesitating a bit she brings her hand on the shoulder of Lincoln to her neck.

«Well, you told me your story so now I'm morally involved and it's reasonable I tell you more about me in this case: You remind me a bit of myself. In a time when I thought that all my dreams would remain dreams until I met the captain. She offered me to follow her to be free and accomplish what I wanted, so I took my chance and up to now I still don't regret it. So, if I can help you do the same, I'll do it gladly, pretty boy."

Lincoln couldn't believe it: the first mate of a crew is willing to help him to get in because her story apparently looks like her. Touched by the gesture he smiled.

"Thanks again, Luna."

"Don't mention it. Now brace yourself because she'll surely be in a bad mood when I'll wake her up."

Lincoln took a big expiration of courage but choked at the middle of the expiration because of a sudden realization " SHE SAID 'SHE'! THE CAPTAIN IS A WOMAN TOO !" He screamed inside while scoffing his life out.

Luna was standing near the captain and began to talk.

"Hey, Lori. I hope I didn't make you wait."

"We're here since yesterday Luna, so yes you made me wait. And when we'll be back you'll have to tell the girls why." Replied the captain without taking off her hat from her face.

"Well sorry, I lost track of time. But to make for it I was a surprise for you: I found someone who is interested to join the crew", said a cheerful Luna

The captain lifted her head like a sign she wanted to hear more. Taking the hint Luna kept talking

"And right now, this someone is waiting for is an interview with you!" Finished a now beamed Luna.

"Very well," Said, Lori, as she was now seating correctly. "Tell her that I can see her right now." Finally replacing her hat on her head.

"In fact, he is already there."

Lori stopped her movements when she finally noticed the nervous Lincoln standing away of the table. Her expression changed to calm and relax to upset and irritated. Through gritted teeth and without stopping staring furiously at the poor boy she asked her first mate.

"Luna. What. Is. The. Meaning. Of. This?" Accentuating the last word with more sourness.

"Well, it's the someone who is interested to sail with us."

"Are you becoming insane, woman!?" She stood up, now towering Luna "Why would you expect me to give him to give him an interview and least of all a place in the crew?! Don't you remember our credo?!"

"I do remember but I see he is different", responded a startled Luna.

"Are you drunk, Luna?!" Lori asked her with inquisitive eyes without changing her tone.

"Just a bit, but not too much to lose my mind. I wouldn't have brought him to you if I thought that he wasn't worth it." Now retorted Luna, clearly a bit offended at the accusation.

"Then what makes you think he's worth it?" Lori asked crossing her arms, waiting for an answer from her first mate.

"He's like me when I first encountered you. I remember well: You said no and I kept saying that I could sail with you and guess what? I could! And that's what I see in him, so please at least let him show you what he can do!" Pleaded Luna to her captain.

Still, arms crossed she looked at her first mate seeing her pleading for someone else. A man on top of that! She looked back at Lincoln an instant, who was watching nervously at the whole argument between the two women. She returned her gaze to Luna who was still waiting for an answer.

'She seems serious. Since I know her, she never pleaded for someone and now she's bringing me a boy and is begging for me to at least listen what he has to say. What does she see in him anyway? I'm sure he's just like the others men.' Thought silently Lori about this situation.

After one full minute of silence, the captain broke it "You really think he is different?" she asked with a calmer but still angry tone

Luna nodded vigorously.

Lori took an inspiration and let a big sigh before saying "I hope for you he's really worth the trouble"

"Thanks, Lo-I mean Captain. I'm sure you won't regret it" responded a relieved Luna.

"Don't hope too much he still has to prove me that I'm wrong and this will not happen soon." Lori retorts now taking her seat back.

Seeing that the situation was now settled. Lincoln walked anxiously to the table where now Luna was standing beside her captain, who was watching every move of the boy.

"I-I must say th-that it's an hono-"

"Sit!" Lori commanded interrupting Lincoln in his shaking greeting.

He did as she ordered almost by instinct. She was staring at him with a glare while Luna was at her side praying for Lincoln to come with the right words

'You can't run away anymore, pretty boy. I did all I, could now it's up to you to convince her.' Luna thought worried by looking at the intimidated boy in his seat.

Joining her hands together Lori spoke first "Soooo, my first mate here thinks that you are a suitable man for the vacant post on my ship. Is that right, Mister…?"

"Lo-Loud. Lincoln Loud, Ma'am." Responded Lincoln with a perceptible nervousness.

"Very well, Mr. Loud, in this case, tell me why you want to sail?" Asked Lori, now leaning a bit on the table and squinting her eyes to detect any lies that would come from the boy.

"THE FIRST QUESTION! Don't mess this up Lincoln!" He ordered himself in his head.

"Well I want to sail because…" he stopped when he saw the lips of Luna moved hinting him at saying the right thing "…to find love?"

Luna's eyes widened and she muttered many "NO! NO! NO!" while shaking her head. She tried to hint him to say 'to find treasures' but he understood love instead of treasure. 'How did he do that!?' She internally screamed.

"Excuse me?" Asked Lori now with a confused glare

"For finding the love of the sea!Of course! The passion of traveling, discover new lands and all of that! You see?" Corrected quickly Lincoln before putting a nervous smile.

"Very well...It's a bit unusual but that'll do it."

Lincoln and Luna both blow as a relief. "that's a hint for me to stop helping him now," thought Luna

"That's a hint for her to stop helping me now," Thought Lincoln too

"That's a hint for her to stop helping him now," Strangely thought Lori too.

"Ok then, what are your abilities, Mr. Loud?" Lori asked to start again the interview.

Now feeling a bit more confident Lincoln responded, "Well I'm from a fisher family so I know how to fish all sort of fishes and even some mollusks. Oh, and I know how to cook them of course. I learned to cut the wood and even how to forge small things like this one".He reached for something in his back an put in on the table.

It was the hook he used earlier. He used it as a second tool like a screwdriver or even a hammer, and obviously for fishing. Today it has been the first day he used it to defend himself so now he knew this could be a weapon too, but in reality, he hoped it was the last time he used it like this.

Lori took it and looked carefully at it: the hook was in iron and strangely it was well cleaned for something that was supposed to cut the guts of fishes every day. The metal was thick enough to prevent it to break and the tip wasn't as sharp as waited but with the right strength, you could cut something or someone with it. The hook was screwed in a rounded piece of that separated it from the rest of the tool that was supposed to be the handle.

The hook was perfectly made: small enough for not being considered as a weapon but solid and sharp enough to transform it into it.

"You made this yourself? Impressive." Lori said while examining the hook of Lincoln.

"Thanks, and I can make other things too." Answered the boy with a bit of pride in his voice but still covered by the nervousness

"I also have some knowledge in medicine: Well, I can put a bandage and cauterize a wound."

Lori stopped looking at the hook and handed it back to the boy who takes it and put it back on his pants.

"You got quite the abilities, I admit. But are you really ready to sail on a ship commanded by a woman?" This was the question she wanted to ask because any man with a stupid man pride would refuse.

"I wouldn't mind as long as the captain is willing to let me serve her" Lincoln simply answered

Lori was taken aback: any man would have refused but she should have seen this coming: at the moment he saw her, he knew she was the captain so obviously he would say that.

'And on top of that, he doesn't look like he's lying. I don't really have an excuse to refuse him now,' she then began to nervously scratch her right arm and felt something in an interior pocket of her coat. 'What is this now? Oh, wait! Is this what I think?' She took the thing out and saw it was a sheet of paper ,'Yes! What a luck to found this now I completely forgot I had something like this!'

She formed a sly grin, which worried Luna who was watching her now. "It's very well, Mr. Loud but I must check one last thing before I accept or no to hire you."

"An-and what is it?"

"Something simple: a list of qualities required to be part of my crew," she said grinning wider now

'A list? What lis-? OH WAIT! THIS LIST! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!' Luna mentally slapped herself.

"You see Mr. Loud I favor the relationship my crew has together, and for this, I need someone who can fulfill all the requirements needed by each one of them to be sure to conserve a perfect harmony. You understand, do you? »

"Yes, I understand perfectly Ma'am."

"Excellent so let's begin." This was it, her last chance to blow him off. She promised her crew to find someone who meets all the requirements of the list. And she was a woman who always kept her promises

'That's a low blow, Lori! He'll never meet all the requirements of the list!' Luna angrily thought and had to watch this, powerless.

"First: do you have abilities in the seam?" She asked still with her grin.

"I learned about it when I worked with the nuns at the orphanage during one year and it was at the same time I learned to cook too" He simply answered

"Fine. Second: Do you know how to play an instrument or sing?" she asked while keeping her grin and taking a glance at Luna at her left.

"Well, I don't know how to play any instruments, so..."

"For this, I must say that he already showed me that he knows how to sing," cut Luna as a backup for the question, mostly because it was her requirement and also because he really did show her.

"Alright then thank you, Luna, for this. Tirth:" This time she asked like she was a bit annoyed "Do you have a good sense of humor ?"

"Well I like to laugh but I don't know if I can say I have a good sense of humor."

"I'll take that as a yes. Now fourth: Are you doing regular work out?"

"Well sometimes I helped the sailors to transport their concretes so this helped me keeping a good shape."

"Very well. Fifth:" she said with returning the sly grin "Do you like literature?"

"Reading is one of my passion when I had free time I spent it at the Library of the town. It's little but you can always get what you're looking for and I read enough to have a good writing expression and a good knowledge of some authors."

Surprised by the strange honesty and the fact that he didn't seem to lie she continued a bit unsure. "Very well. S-So sixth: do you like animals?"

"I'm fond of animals, and even fishes. In fact, I don't like to kill them but like everyone I need to eat." He said with a hint of sadness at the end.

"Th-then seventh: what about tea?"

"My dad was brit so it's natural he made me discover tea, and I found out that I have a preference for black tea"

He still wasn't showing any signs of lies. Lori began to panic and doubt her sixth sense, the one she used to detect liars.

"Fi-Finally height: Are you able to become a navigator assistant?"

"I was the assistant of a blacksmith, a barman, nuns and even a doctor so that can't be so hard."

Luna watched her mouth agape with a small smile the boy who had just finished the interview. "He really meets all the requirements!? That means… »

Not a single time during the series of questions he sweated, he had shifty eyes and didn't shake when he spoke. He didn't lie a single time during the interview. Lori couldn't believe it. Luna was right, she was wrong: he was different from other men. That meant she had to do just one thing now.

"W-Well, Mr. Loud i-it seems that you have all we're searching for as a crew mate. A-As the captain of the medusa crew, I-I welcome you onboard with a temporary post as a cabin-boy. Congratulation. With your temporary post as cabin gi-boy." Lori finally said a bit defeated by the fact that she allowed a man to be on her vessel with her crew. She sighed in defeat then look at Lincoln and is surprised by what she's seeing: The boy was wide-eyed and has his mouth like he was going to scream in victory. She quickly brought her hand up before he does.

"But before you shout your victory, I need you to know some things!" She said before Lincoln even thinks about opening his mouth.

"All you want ! Ma'am!" Responded an excited Lincoln who couldn't contain his joy.

Surprised by the beaming in the boy voice's she began, "First you only address me as 'Captain' from now on."

"Alright, Ma-Captain!" Lincoln corrected himself

Luna was watching this, still from the left of her captain. The sight of this happy Lincoln made her chuckles silently, 'He looks like a puppy who just got a praise! Could he stops being so cute ?!'

'But he deserves it: he passed the interview and even the try of the low blow from Lori. He's filling all the requirements of the list, the girls will now stop complaining... I hope'

Lori continued to speak, "Second, I need you to take off your bandana."

The previous excitement of Lincoln just disappeared to only let surprise and nervousness coming again. He was so much taken aback by the second request of his new captain that he could only ask, "Why? Don't you like it ?", with a panicked tone and putting his hands on the said bandana.

"That's not the point." She responded with a confused tone, taking notice of the change in the boy attitude, "I need to see what you look like without it." She explained.

Lincoln stared at her like she was a shark and he was the poor victim who could just wait to be cut to pieces. 'This is really happening! That's the only part I didn't think of! How can I be so stupid ?!' He panicked though while his hands were shaking a bit

Seeing he didn't budge, she pushed, "You already making a refusal to obey your superior?"

"No, no. As you command, Captain,"Lincoln hesitantly did as ordered

Lincoln couldn't already disobey an order of his new captain. He already promised that he would obey any commands so he had to do it. With trembling hands he untied the knot on the right of his head, the bandana became loose and covered his eyes.

He took a big breath before taking off the clothe from his face. He pulled it off but kept his eyes closed, too scared of the reaction of Lori and Luna.

He had semi-long hair with a tuff of hair that pointed to the right and the rest was pointing upward on his head. But the big thing about it was his color: a bright and perfect white. Too lighter to just be called platinum blonde.

Still, eyes closed he tried to guess their reaction by what he could hear. Nothing. He heard the sound of a crowded bar, some music, and his own heartbeat.

A whistle ringed out, then he heard a voice saying "That's not something we see every day. It's pretty."

"That's kind of nice."

He opened wide his eyes, thinking he surely misunderstood because of the all the mixed sounds in the bar but he hoped he had not. Because if he had misunderstood that would be very embarrassing.

"Excuse me...But what did you said?" He shyly asked without looking at the two women, his gaze now on the table.

"I said it was pretty." He heard the raspy voice of Luna repeated.

"I said it was nice." Now he recognized this voice as the one which belongs to the captain Lori.

"Wha-what do you mean? Don't I look weird with that? That I look like a freak?" He asked again now lifting his eyes to meet those of the women.

He just saw the surprise on the face of Luna who was looking at him with her arms crossed and a sincere led his eyes on the inquisitive look of Lori who had now her hands joined in front of her mouth like she was studying him.

"You seem pretty normal to me and like I said earlier I think it's pretty." Luna answered him then turned to Lori, "What about you, Captain?"

"I see nothing wrong in your hair, young man. » She responded to Lincoln, "Why are you asking that?"

"I-" He interrupted himself now remembering the previous advice of Luna about avoiding to spill the beans to everyone about his life. Now that he was part of the crew he should begin to follow what his superiors told him.

"P-Personal reason..." He just muttered calming himself while looking away.

Lori and Luna stared at the boy with a perplexed look, both asking themselves why he reacted like this. But the captain decided to brush it off and kept telling the information to her new cabin boy.

"So like said earlier, your post on the boat will only be temporary. Because we need someone to be the assistant of our navigator for a project about a trip who could be hugely beneficial for each one of us."

"What do you mean?" He asked in confusion, not understanding what sort of 'hugely beneficial' trip she could be talking about.

"She means we need extra hands because we're going for a..." She checked to see if anyone has been listening to them, after seeing the cost clear she leaned towards him, put her left hand near her mouth and whispered: "...for a treasure hunt, pretty boy."

Lincoln's eyes widened, afraid to have misunderstood what the first mate just told him. He tilted his head toward Luna who gave an amused grin, surely because of his reaction. Then he shifted his eyes towards Lori who didn't budge but seemed to hide an amused smile with her hands which were still joined together, he glanced back to Luna.

"Yes, you heard right." She said returning to her place at the left of Lori.

Lincoln couldn't believe it what was happening to him. He was going to finally sail and make his dreams come true and on top of everything, there is a treasure that waited for him. His excitement came back as fast as the moment when Lori congratulated him.

"But like said earlier your admission is only temporary that means that once we have what we want we'll have to go our separate ways," Lori said breaking once again the daydreaming of Lincoln. But more like shattering this time with the clarification of the terms.

"But you said-"

"I said it was a temporary post, not an official one," Lori cut him with a strict tone "You'll only serve to be a cabin boy and the assistant of our navigator. But like any of the sailors under my command, you'll receive your part of the gain. And I can promise to bring you back here with your part."

Luna could see that Lincoln looked sad by this, but he was wrong to be. If there is one thing that Luna learned by being by the side of Lori during all this time is that Lori is a woman who always kept her promises. To her friends as much as her foes.

But Lincoln couldn't see it that way. They were going to take him with them but only as a provisional hand. He won't be a real member of a crew but at least he was going to live an adventure like he wanted since the beginning so he couldn't really complain,"That's better than nothing. I guess."

"Good! Now if we have finished with this, it's time for us to go," Lori stood up and began her walk to the entrance of the bar.

But Luna interrupted her,"Er-Could you grant me just a moment with our new cabin boy, Captain? I want him to know my part of the deal, you know the habitual speech of welcoming and all that follows after?" she asked and put a nervous smile at the end.

She raised an eyebrow in a suspicious way and stared at Luna, "If you want. I'll wait for you two outside. Be quick!" and with this, she left towards the entrance.

Once Lori out of sight, Luna returned herself to face Lincoln. She approached him and put her hands on his shoulders. She slowly put her head back while taking a big inspiration. She suddenly jerks her head forth and began to laugh in the face of the confused Lincoln.

"HAHAHA! I Can't believe it!You did it!You really did it!", She almost shouted with a surprising joy while shaking Lincoln.

"I did what?" Asked the poor boy with a shaking voice while being jerked back and forth

"You convinced Lori, the woman who can't trust men, to let you hop onboard of her ship!" She stopped to jerk the boy and looked at him in the eyes, "That's something big you just did, Pretty boy!"

"And all thanks to you, Luna." She looked at him confused. "I mean you're the one who introduced me to the captain even if you knew she wasn't gonna like it and be furious at you. But you didn't care because you believed in me. Damn! More than just believing! I mean, you stood up for me and convinced her to give me a chance despite the fact that she didn't want to have a man in her crew."

"How do you know-"

"Yeah, I understood that you don't have any man in your crew. Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked if I was ready to obey the order of a woman on a boat, at least I was the first one. She must have thought that I'm crazy." the boy chuckled.

"I'm sure she did. And I told you earlier I was just going to give you a little push. You did all the work back there."

Lincoln smiled at the praise. He was actually so happy that he had to hold back the urge to hug her because that would be really childish and non-professional. Mostly childish.

Luna took of her hands away from his shoulders, "BUT don't rest now! There are more challenges that await you out there. It's only the first step", she seriously reminded him.

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you! I promise, Luna, I'll show myself worthy of your faith in me!" He responded by clutching his fists with a great confidence in himself

Luna chuckled but her smile slowly fades away, leaving only a sad frown.

"What is it, Luna? Did I say something wrong?"

"Lincoln I must ask you something really important." She sighed, "Who do you think we are, Lincoln?"

"Well..." Now that he thought about it, he didn't ask what sort of crew they were. They were on a treasure hunt, so maybe they were just explorers or just simply treasure hunters? But that couldn't be official because any government wouldn't count on a bunch of simple women on those sort of mission and Lori didn't look like an official even with her coat otherwise she would have mentioned it. The gears in Lincoln's mind continued to roll for a while. Until he finally gets it.

Lincoln's body flinched and his face darkened when he understood.

Taking notice of his reaction the frown of Luna deepened, "You guessed, by the look on your face."

The eyes of Lincoln now was covered in the shadow of his bangs ,"Yes, I think I get it…. You are pirates."

She sadly nodded, "Yes. I should have told you from the beginning, I'm sorry."

Luna's mood changed from happy to depressed. She lied to a kid who just wanted to accomplish his dreams of adventures and discoveries on the sea into tricking him to join her pirate's crew. It wasn't her intentions but now that she was thinking about it, it sounded like that.

"Listen, if you change your mind about leaving with us, I won't blame you, in fact, I understand perfectly. You don't have to worry about the captain, I'll explain to her why you decided to not come"

'And I'm sure she will be relieved of it,' She annoyingly thought.

"No."

Luna lifted her head to see determination beams in the eyes of Lincoln while he was looking at her. He puts his right hand on his chest while speaking.

"It was my choice to be part of your crew, so I'm going to take my responsibilities and go all the way. And if it's my faith to serve a bunch of women under a black flag, then bring it on!"

Luna was shocked by his decision. She just tricked him to join her pirate crew, any other man would have been mad and refuse to keep going. But not him, he accepted it, he was even looking forward to it. He was willingly accepting to be a pirate.

She lowered her head and began shaking. That worried Lincoln, but his worries fade away when he heard her chuckles in relieve. She brought her hand to her mouth and the chuckles turned into a laughter. Leaving only confusion in Lincoln. After stopping she looked at him with what seemed to be a « mother pride » look.

"You sure are really crazy, Pretty boy."

She turned around, grabbed her guitar and began walking towards the entrance. She made a sign for Lincoln to follow her.

"Come on, love. The captain isn't a patient one."

Lincoln quickly get to her side and began walking with her. Avoiding the tables and clients on their way.

"By the way, don't worry too much about feeling like a freak just because of this," she pointed his head, "All the Medusas are just a bunch of freaks, including myself of course," She reassured him, "So even if it's only temporary, I think you'll fit pretty well."

The boy shyly smiled and looked eyes fell on his hand which was still holding the bandana, he didn't feel the need to put it back so he just put it in his pants, letting a bit out just in case. He then kept walking silently with Luna to the entrance.

Once outside, they saw that Lori was waiting for them. She was leaning on the wall the outside of the establishment. She turned her head to see her first mate and new cabin boy coming towards her.

"Ready now, boy?"

Lincoln shouted in response "YES, CAPTAIN !" and made a military salute. Much to Luna's amusement and Lori's annoyance.

After this, the three made their ways to the port. Passing by people who strangely looked at them, however, their stares weren't for the two woman but for Lincoln. Some of those people knew Lincoln Loud, the son of the Lynn Loud the fisherman, but some of them didn't know about the color of his hair. It was like they were seeing someone new.

Obviously Lincoln noticed their gaze. He knew this would happen but he didn't put back his bandana because apparently Luna and Lori appreciate it. Even if the looks from the crowd was making him uncomfortable he didn't want to put his bandana back on his head.

After a very tiring walk for Lincoln but a normal one for the women, they had finally reached the port where it seemed to have least boats than before leaving only one.

Luna extended her arms to the only boat present, "I present you our vessel. Welcome on the ARMED GIRL!"

Lincoln examined the ship in front of him and it looked kind of… familiar.

Lori walked on board and shouted, "GIRLS! EVERYONE ON THE DECK! NOW!" while Luna and Lincoln walked beside her.

"That's a bit small..." Even by checking the deck, he had the impression he already knows this boat.

"Don't get used to it. We're only using it for a time. Our real ship is under repair at Wood Cost. That will be our first stop," Lori said by tapping the floor with her boot while waiting for her crew to assemble.

Wood Cost. Now Lincoln know where was his first destination. He knew this little village only by its name so he will have to discover it once here. He let out a happy sigh, 'That's why I joined them,' he gladly thought

Lori grew angry seeing no one coming, "YOU DIDN'T HEARD ME ?! I SAID EVERYONE ON THE DECK!"

Some loud bangs were heard at their right. They were coming from a big chest on a trap door.

Then the mind of Lincoln clicked. The chest, the deck, the furies trapped in the gundeck. All the events were rerolling in his mind as Luna approached the chest.

"What is that ?" after she said that the loud bangs stopped and a muffled voice echoed from the closed door.

"Luna? That's you? Finally! Help us get out of here! Luan wants to blow up the door with the gunpowder and Lynn wants to break it with her sword!"

"Can I know why you're trapped in the gundeck when I asked you to guard the boat ON the DECK?" Luna sternly asked.

"Because a ghost trapped us in there!"

"Leni for the last time, it wasn't a ghost!"

Luna facepalmed and let out a big sigh, "Listen, I'll open the trap door and once out you're gonna explain what happened to the captain! Hey Pretty boy, give me a hand!"

Lincoln hesitantly nodded and approached then pushed one of the chests that blocked the door while Luna pushed the other one. Once there wasn't anything on the door she opened it.

"Everyone out! Line up, now!"

Lincoln placed himself behind the chest he just pushed so no one who exited the gundeck could see him. He saw going out the five same girls who tried to get him just one hour ago. They lined up in front of an upset Lori, from taller to smaller.

Lori cleared her throat, "Ladies, I awai- Where's Lucy?"

"I'm here."

Everyone was startled at the sudden apparition of a new girl in the line. Even Lincoln who was watching from behind had been as much surprised as anyone if not more. 'How she did this?! I didn't see her coming?!'

The girl in question was now in the line between Lynn and Lana. All of her clothes were black: her boots, her pants, and her coat which stopped above her knees. The said coat was composed of only two buttons that completely closed the coat and a front pocket on the right side at the hips level.

She had shoulder-length black hair and wore a black headband. But the right side of the headband was under some bangs of hair which covered all the right side of the face of the girl.

"Wh-Where were you?" Lori asked, still feeling a bit surprised.

"I was writing in the hold. Then I heard Luna and I came," She answered to the captain with a monotone voice.

"Alright then. Luan..." She turned to the bucket toothed girl, the one mentioned suddenly stiffened as Lori approached and was now standing in front of her, "You were in charge so I want to hear your part of the story. So what you have to say?" She said with a severe tone and leaning to be at her eye level which seemed to terrify all of the girls and even more Luan.

She began to stutter so incomprehensible words while making some gests with her hands, "Well, you see there was this trunk -then Lynn yelled- and after that there was this guy and then-" Lori lifted her hands in front of Luan, interrupting her.

"I understand absolutely nothing at your baffling," Lori responded with a deadpan tone, "Let's just forget this and move on to the news." She walked back to her place. Leaving an embarrassed Luan.

The captain turned to her first mate, "Luna, would you kindly announce it since YOU insisted on it?" Letting her get the attention of the crew.

Luna coughed a bit in embarrassment. But she straightened and clapped her hands in response, "Alright, Captain! So girls, guess what we found at the dock's bar?" She playfully asked the crew who was now listening to her

"A new barrel of rum?" Lynn nonchalantly asked

"Not after what you did with the last one." Luna responded. Lynn pouted and grumbled something like, "And yet you're still in one piece…"

"A new combustive for my fireworks?" This time, it was Luan who asked.

"For you to blow us all in one of your tests? No thanks."

"A pet rat ?" In turn, Lana asked, with shining eyes.

"No, and you already have Charles. Remember?" Her answer was returned by a sad "aww" from the little girl

"Really? No one guesses? Lola, an idea?" Luna pointed the other young girl.

"Well, I don't have that much hope that's a new ribbon for my hair, so…"

"OH! That's a new ribbon?" Leni suddenly asked with a cheerful smile.

"How would I find a ribbon in a bar?"

Lori grew impatient and scolded Luna,"Luna, get to the point already!"

"Anyway, that's much better than all you said! I present you our new cabin boy! Lincoln Loud!"

She announced by pointing the boy behind the group of girls and when they turned back to see the boy, they were greeted by a hesitant Lincoln who was waving his hand to salute the girls.

"WHAT!?" All the girls, except Lucy, screamed at the sight of a man on their ship.

"THE GHOST!" Screamed Leni before running to hide behind Luan.

"THE BLOODY SMUGGLER!" Lynn shot before charging at him and pulling her blade in his direction, ready to impale him.

He quickly shifted to his right to avoid the sword and began grabbing his hook before another sword came between the two.

The blade was longer but thinner than the one of Lynn, the sword had a large basket-shaped guard and a long grip with a pommel. Following the hand that held it, Lincoln saw Lori shooting a glare at Lynn.

"Care to explain your outburst, Lynn?" She said still staring at her.

"Lori, this man tried to smuggle onboard this morning! I was going to give him what he deserved before you stopped me!"

Lori then turned her glare towards Lincoln, without saying a word hinting the boy that she awaits his explanation.

"I didn't smuggle on purpose. I was sleeping in one of your trunks and she woke me up, seeing the situation heathen up I led them in the gundeck and closed the door before leaving for the bar."

"Wait ,you're telling me that you escaped six members of my crew, whose had three of my best women, and trapped them on their own ship, without spilling a single drop of blood?" She asked with her angry glare changing into a questioning look.

He hesitantly nodded.

"That's quite the achievement," She muttered a bit too loudly, even for herself. She blushed when she realized that she said that out loud getting a shocked look from Lynn, a smirk from Luna and a confused from the other girls.

Luna came behind Lincoln and placed her hands on his shoulders, "So, isn't he good for the post?"

"What the heck, Lori? You're letting a man coming in the crew ?!" Lynn angrily asked her

Regaining her composure she drew her sword back and turned towards Lynn. "Watch your language young lady, I'm still your captain! And no, he's only with us as a temporary cabin boy!"

"STILL!"

"If you have any complaints, make them to Luna: she insisted to let him!"

'Nice snitching, Lori.' Luna thought.

Lynn angrily stomped off to the gundeck, not without shooting a last glare to Lincoln before disappearing in the stairs.

Lori sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Luna, you make the rest of the presentation and we leave without losing much time. I need to sit a bit…"

She walked to a door which seemed to lead to the room of the captain of the boat. After having closed it, Luna took place in front of the crew, pushing Lincoln in front of her. "Now don't be shy," she whispered him.

"I-I'm Lincoln Loud, your new cabin boy. Nice to meet you! I hope we make a good job together!"

The five girls remained a bit hesitant at first, letting an unsettling silence take place. Strangely, it was the black coated girl who broke the silence.

"My name is Lucy and I'm in charge of the log book. I'm pleased to meet you too." She said to the boy with a calm and monotone voice.

Seeing her companion making the first move, Luan decided to do the same. "Name's Luan and I'm in charge of the maintenance of the ammunition of the crew. » she continued by pointing the girl still hidden behind her, "And this is Leni, she's the clothes and flag designer of the crew and also our cook."

"So your not a ghost?" Leni shyly asked from the back of Luan

"I don't think so. I'm just a normal boy." He answered a bit unsure to the question.

She moved from the back of Luan and happily replied, "Then, I'm like totes happy to meet you!"

One of the little girls took a step front bringing the second with her by holding her hand, "I'm Lana and this is my twin, Lola. We're both responsible of the maintenance of this ship and the first one!"

'The first one?' Lincoln thought. He then saw that Lola looked away from him, he approached her and bend his knees to be at her level. "Hey, Lola. I'm glad to meet you, I hope we get along during our journey," he said to her with a reassuring smile.

She looked at him and frown, "I don't care about you, but I warn you: don't be an annoyance to the crew. I don't want you to loiter around and create problems like you did earlier!"

"Uh. Okay, Miss…" Was all he could say. She was a bit rude but she was right to distrust a complete stranger. Even more, if she thought like Lori.

Luan cleared her throat to grab his attention. When he got up and looked at her she continued, "As for the fury who just disappeared in the hold: That's Lynn and she is the one in charge of the artillery, that means you can't even touch a canon without her permission. And trust me, you don't want to do that."

"I think I get what kind of person she is..."

"And you know in what you're engaging yourself?" Lucy asked the new cabin boy.

"Piracy. I get it."

Luna clapped in her hands, bringing the attention back to her, "Now that the presentations are made, let's sail right now. Direction, Wood Cost!"

All the girls ran to their post: Lana quickly went untie the mooring line with Lola, Luan and Lucy climbed the mast and unfold the sails which opened with a big flap and pushed the boat so suddenly that Lincoln fell at the feet of Luna. The twins quickly come back onboard and Leni rolled the bar on the left.

Lincoln watched, still on his knees, the sails bend with the force of the winds. He got up and approached the edge of the boat to see the port beginning to get away from his sight. He began to feel the waves crashing against the hull under his feet, the wind in his white hair and the odor of salt from the water. That was it. This feeling.

He was sailing and he felt free.

A hand set down on his left shoulder, he turned back and saw Luna grinning at him.

« And now Pretty boy, here begins your beginning as a pirate. »


	3. First tasks onboard

« I can't believe I'm really sailing right now. »

Lincoln was still contemplating the horizon where the port disappeared minutes ago, he was bringed back in the reality by Luna.

« Glad you like the view, but like I said earlier your life as a pirate begins now so… » She threw him a mop and a bucket full of water.

« You can begin with the first deck. » On this she walked to the door where the captain entered earlier, she opened it and turned back a last time « And if you need something, just shoot. »and she disappeared

Lincoln looked at the door, then at the mop in his right hand and the bucket his in left hand. He sighed and smiled « What I expected anyway ? »

He droped the bucket on the floor, moistened his mob and began cleaning. He turns toward you.

« At least I have what I wanted, right ? » he said and restart moping. Without raising his head from his work ,he go on « Now I'm officialy a temporary pirate. I wonder if it's an acceptable excuse if I'm arrested by a soldier ? » He chuckled.

His amused face turned into a sad expression « And if not, it's direction the gallow. I hope we don't meet one of the navy ship on our way. Or we don't engage a battle with another pirate crew. »

He keep cleaning and notice that his mob is now dry. « Ocean is big so what are the chance of an encounter like this ? We'll have the time to see it coming.» he wet his mob and when he turn back Lucy is standing in front of him.

« AAAAAH ! » He slips on the wet floor ,hurt his head on the floor and the mob hit him too. As he whines in pain on the floor he raises his hurting head and he sees that she is staring at him without saying a word. He grows uncomfortable at the silence and breaks it.

« Uh, do you need something Miss ? » He gets up grabbing his mob with him.

« Not really, I just wanted to note our depart from Royal Woods and you were there. » She flatly responds him.

« Oh yeah you're the responsible of the log book .» He remembered snapping his fingers. « But why were you staring at me ? »

« You're intriguing me. » She bluntly said.

« I'm...intriguing you ? » Now Lincoln was confused « How ? »

« I'm wondering why Lori let you join the crew. And why Luna seemed so eager to introduce you . »

Lincoln can't help but feel a strange discomfort as her left eye was still locked on him. In the attempt to forget her gaze, he begins to mop again « Well, if I can do anything-»

« Wonderful. You are going to answer some questions then. » She reached for a little notebook in her pocket and a pencil. She sits on the edge of the deck, opens her book and prepare herself to write.

During a moment she stays here, not doing anything while Lincoln is still moping and feeling her stare on him. The only sounds that can be hear is the waves , his soaked mob brushing the wood and some seagulls who are flying above the boat.

After two minutes of a heavy silence, Lincoln can't bear it anymore and speaks « Aren't you supposed to ask me something ? » without raising his head he keeps moping.

« Oh yes. Excuse me, I am not the one to speak first usually. » She coughs embarrassed « So for the beginning, how did you convince Lori to let you in ? »

« To be honest, Luna made the hardest and I just came and answered some questions. » He said awkwardly scratching his neck.

«Can you be more clear ? »

« Well, it seemed that I caught Luna's eyes and she decided to request the captain to let me have an interview with her. She succeed and I answered basic questions like why did I want to sail or if i can sever on a ship under the command of a woman. »

« What did you answer for the last one ?»

«I said I wouldn't mind as longs she is willing to let me serve her. »

She hums and scribbles on her page

« And then ? »

« After that she became tensed but relaxed when she told me about a list. »

She stopped and looked at him « A list ? What kind of list ? » She unconsciously leaned forward.

« It was a list of abilities, that apparently you guys, were asking for in a new crew member. And she told me that she wouldn't let anyone come in her unless I met all the requirements. » He stopped mopping and looked directly at her.

« And what did you do ? » She asked in a curious tone.

« I told her that by experience, I acquired each one of them during my life. » He said trying to not sound too boastful.

« And it worked ? You do, have all the requirements needed ? » She pointed her pencil towards him while asking

« Seems like it. » He shrugged.

« Even the like of litterature ? »

« Especially the love of litterature. I could spend the whole day in a good book.»

« What are yours usual readings ? »

« I read « Tales from the sea », some reports from the navy written by the Admiral Savy and other sailors… » He trailed of and suddenly stopped talking. Lucy stopped her writing and looked at him.

He started to talk again with a frown.

« I wanted to sail because of the adventures he lived on the sea. I wanted to live the same as him in the british navy. And now here I am ,I'm a pirate cabin boy. Not so glorious uh ?»

Since his childhood, Lincoln has always been a dreamer, always wanting to see more and live more than what reality offered him. And the reading were only raising his interest in going to an adventure as a soldier of the British Navy like his hero. But now where was he ? Cabin boy on a pirate ship. Because of his childish enthusiasm he became an enemy to the crown he wanted to serve.

« It's could have been worse. » A voice suddenly ringed out in his head.

Raising his head, he sees Lucy still looking at her book without writing anything.

« You could have never met Luna and spend the rest of your life on the shore without having any experience like this. But « here you are » on a pirate boat, right, but a boat which have accepted you on his board. You shouldn't complain because life decided to grant your wish and give you the chance to make your own adventure. And adventure isn't always big exploits that are worth to be reported.»

« You're surely never have the chance to serve the navy but at least you're gonna make memories and meet new people. That's the purpose of the trip in an adventure. »

She looked up and caught him staring at her with what seemed to be a surprised face. His frowned mouth changed into a genuine smile of reassurance. « I-I didn't think of it like that..Thanks Miss Lucy. »

She blushed and tried to hide it by passing quickly at another question « Anyway… Do you believe in ghost stories Mr Loud ? »

« Ghost stories ? Well I do believe in the existence of sea monsters, does that count ? »

« Let's say yes. » She writes something and close her book. « I have finished for today, so you can return to your mopping. » She gets up and began walking toward the hold.

Lincoln did as told, until Lucy suddenly called him

« Do you think you could do something for me ? »

« I'm only the cabin boy so I'm under the command of everyone on this boat, Miss Lucy. »

« Well normally today I'm supposed to help Lana with Charles but I have something that I attend to do for a while. So do you think you can replace me ? »

« No problem, miss. »

« And you can just call me Lucy. That's a bit too formal, even for me. »

On this Lincoln watched her as she dissapeared ,descending in the hold.

« A chance to make my own adventure. I asked for an opprtunity and now I have it. I'm not going to waste it and do all I can while I'm here. » He proudly raised his mob and get some drips on his face, remembering him of his actual task

« Once I finish to clean here. »

* * *

An hour later, Lincoln was admiring his work with a hand on his hip and the other holding the mob on his shoulder .The first deck was so clean that you could almost look at your reflection in the wood

« Doesn't look so bad.. » He proudly said.

His gazing stopped when he heard something coming from the hold behind him. He turned back and saw one of the twins trying to drag a big net out of the hold. By the red bandana, he could remember that the one called Lana wore one.

« Er, Miss Lana ? »

She stopped dead in her track and gave him a glare

« Who you're calling Miss ? »

"You…" Lincoln answered, confused by her reaction.

" That's a shame because I'm not! What do you want ?"

Retaking his normal tone he replied "Lucy asked me to replace her ,so I'm the one who's gonna help you in whatever she was supposed to do."

"So she found a way out ? Sending the cabin boy instead of her…"

"Anyway while you're here, grab this thing and join me in rowing boat"

She dropped the net and made her way to the little boat. Lincoln put in mob and bucket against a trunk and went carry the net. But it wasn't a normal net: it was larger than an average net and had something like a leather belt at the edge of it.

Once he got it, they descended in the small boat and on the command of Lana, he began to row. When they were at, around, 30 feets from the ship they stopped.

"What are we going to do exactly ?"

She brought her both hands to her mouth and began whistling. It wasn't strong but you could heard it if you were on the ship. This only confused Lincoln more

"We're going to prepare Charles to fish." She leaned to the water and watched it.

"Charles ?"

Now that he thinked of it, he heard three times that name and never asked who it was. But something told him that he would soon meet his acquaintance.

Lana stopped watching and leaned back to her seat.

"He's coming. Brace yourself ! He always make a lot of waves. "

"He's coming?! But how we're in the middle of the sea… " He thought and checked the surrounding, only by being met by the sight of water around the small boat. He leaned to the place where Lana watched earlier and saw a big shadow becoming more bigger and bigger.

Suddenly the shadow jumped from the water and covered in darkness the rowing boat. A big form was blocking the sun, the eyes of Lincoln widened and his mouth was agape at the thing in front of him: It has fins and a fishtail, but what was scaring Lincoln was its size ; he never saw something so big in his entire life. While jumping it produced a whistling with clics in it.

The thing felt back in the water and splashed the two sailors with a big wave that almost made the boat roll over. Lincoln was too surprised to complain about it, as for Lana, she was laughing besides him. The both were soaked from head to toes.

The head of the animal appears at the surface of the water: he had small black eyes and his head was all black except for two big stains on the corner of his eyes. He produced a little clic at Lola who petted him in response.

"Aw. He's so cute when he does this!"

"Lana..What is that ?!" The boy asked still stiff at the surprise, and now realizing that he was soaked.

"It's Charles! Duh! "

"Hu,hu! And what is Charles exactly ?"

"Don't tell me you never saw an orca ?"

The boy shaked his head as a negative answer.

"An orca is from the same species as the dolphins, and they're supposed to live in the Artic Ocean. But not this buddy. He is like the tenth member of the crew. For me at least."

"How did you do to tame an enormous fish like that ?"

"First, he's a mammal. And second, I didn't tame him. He saved me from drowning once after I freed him from fishers and since we're inseparable."

"You said we were going to prepare him to fish. How do we do that ? And for what the net's for ?"

She took the net and began explain "This net is supposed to be attached to Charles, so when he's swimming he can trap fishes in it for us. And you're the one who's going to hook it to him."

"Why me ?! "

"I asked Lucy because she was taller than me to put the belt to Charles, but seeing that you're even taller than her, you're the most appropriate for the job." She dropped the net and raised her head, showing a very serious face.

"But first you're going to learn to know him so he can trust you and you can trust him back."

Lincoln was taken aback but could only mutter "I'm not too sure about this…"

"That's why we're going to do this." She sternly said to the older boy.

She turned to Charles. "Okay buddy, this is Lincoln. I don't know him very well either, but I don't think he will harm you. You trust me ,right?"

Charles looked at Lana with eyes full of confidence in her and nodded at the girl.

She smiled to him and petted him a last time before putting a serious face and turning to Lincoln.

"Go in the water."

Lincoln hesitated a bit, scared by the size of the "pet", but he ended up taking off his boots even if they were already soaked, slowly entered in the cold water, out of the boat and facing the orca. He kept a grip with his right hand on the boat, just in case.

Charles turned towards him and looked at him with curious eyes, he was studying him expecting any reaction from the boy.

"Bring your hand to his muzzle. Slowly."

He did as told. He softly raised his left hand out of the water. The animal backed a bit in fear, startling Lincoln who had stopped moving. After a moment he began approaching his hand again ,slowly. Charles did the same, and moved closer to the hand of Lincoln.

As he closed the distance between the two of them, Charles looked into the eyes of Lincoln. He saw kindness and fear. When he saw the fear in the boy's eyes ,he was afraid he might do something to defend himself, but it wasn't this kind of fear: It was a fear of hurting the other. Lincoln was afraid to hurt him. There was obviously the first kind of fear, but the other one was more prominent than the first one.

Lincoln stopped when he felt that he brushed the muzzle of the giant in front of him. Charles put himself under the warm hand of Lincoln and let him understand that it was okay.

Charles trusted him.

Lincoln began to slowly stroke the smooth black skin of the giant pet. He almost heard him click in joy.

"You're not so scary after all…" He chuckled with a warm smile.

Charles suddenly moved closer and raised from the water, towered Lincoln and dived on him. Pushing Lincoln in the water and bringing the boy in the depths with him.

"Charles, no! Charles! CHARLES !" Lana shouted to her friend but it was too late. Lincoln didn't even have the time to shouts for help that he was already in the water.

Lana was shocked and stared at the water, where Lincoln and Charles disappeared together.

"Ouch…How am I going to explain this…"

In the water, all was blur for Lincoln who was under the big orca. He opened his eyes and noticed two things: First, Charles was twice the size of what he expected and second, Charles was playfully smiling at him.

He stopped pushing Lincoln and get under him ,so the boy was on his back ,and Charles began to rise to the surface. By instinct Lincoln grabbed his fin with both arms and let himself dragged to the surface by Charles.

They both jumped from the water: Charles had a big puppy smile, as for Lincoln, he was screaming and seemed to hold on the fin for his life.

They jumped back in the water and the screams of Lincoln became muffled bubbles. They jumped out further but the screams seemed less full of fear than before. And they get back in the water.

At the third jump Lincoln realized that he wasn't trying to drown him or scare him. He was playing with him. He already trusted him, now it was his turn to trust the animal.

At the fourth jump, the screams disappeared and was replaced by laughs from the boy. Laughs a bit choked by the water, but laughs despite it.

This eased Lana, who have been watching from the rowing boat. She was impressed by the sudden trust her companion gave in the cabin boy, and she was more when she understood that by the jumps, he tried to show him his confidence in him. And apparently it was working.

After ten minutes of energetic jumps ,Charles dropped Lincoln in the small boat. The orca was laughing ( more like clicketing) in joy as the boy was panting, he was exhausted and soaked to the bones but he was happy.

"That was AWESOME!" he said still panting.

"That really was! It's the first time he does this with another person than me! You must be special."

"How so ? Did any of the girls passed the "test" like I did ?"

"Some of them did, but he never trusted them so fast and so far to the point of giving them a ride like this ! "

Lincoln chuckled at the revelation. He was the first one to climb on the back of Charles. And it was obviously the first time he rode an orca, and it was a funny, yet exhausting ,experience. He looked at the sky and though "That what was she talking about ? Well if it is, it's fantastic !".

His gaze fallen on the girl petting Charles and praising him, his smile fades away as he wanted to ask something very private to her.

"Hu Lana…Can I ask you something ? And if you don't want to answer that's fine.."

"Go ahead."

"How come that children like you and your sister became pirates ? I mean, it doesn't seem so common…"

She sadly frowned and turned her head towards Charles who gave her a nod of approval. She was thinking about it: she didn't have to tell him because he was still a stranger to her, but the confidence her aquatic friend has in him made her hesitate. After a long moment of silence ,she took a long breath and let out a heavy sigh.

"Well if Charles trusts you that much… I think I can trust you too. But don't tell Lola I told you about it or she's going to be mad !"

He made a gesture of zipping in front of his mouth.

She turned on her seat to face him, clasped her hands together, took a big breath and began to speak.

"All begin the day we were born Lola and me. Our parents awaited an only child, but they had both of us so they dealt with it. As the years went, they both saw Lola as the pretty and nice little girl they asked for, but as for me I wasn't too girly like her: I was already interested in the carpentry and wanted to become a shipwright. Obviously they didn't like it and told me that they would make some changes if I didn't do it myself."

Charles had moved to be besides Lincoln and listened too.

"One day, we were invited by a friend of my father for a dinner in his house. I had to wear a dress just like the one of Lola. Everything was fine until I noticed a loose board on the floor, and this day I brought my hammer so by reflex I fixed it. In front of my family, our host….and several other guests."

"Ooooh…" Lincoln said seeing where this leaded.

"Yep! My parents didn't like that. They said that I embarrassed them. When the night had come, I heard them saying that they were going to send me to a convent so I can learn to behave like a proper Lady."

"I decided to run away that night, but just when I was about to go, Lola tried to stop me. I told her that I couldn't stay because they were going to send me away, so in both case we were separated. She decided to follow me, even if she had the perfect life she had and that she was the favorite to our parents, she told me that it wasn't worth if I wasn't here. When I asked why she would do this you know what she told me?"

He and Charles shook their heads.

"That's what family does." She said with a bit of nostalgia in her voice. She felt a tear in her eye at the memory.

She noticed that they were staring at her while stupidly smiling, she wiped her eyes and followed.

"So she came with me. I pretend to be a boy so I could work as an assistant shipwright and fill our stomach when needed. We had to live hidden in the streets, it was hard. Until I found Lori ,one year later, who was looking for some crew members, she was interested in me and wanted to recruit me. I gave her the condition to accept Lola too, even if she wasn't familiar with this she could be useful. She accepted, and here we are."

A silence followed. Neither of them replied for a while until Lincoln broke the silence.

"That was really something.."

"You're lucky: the only ones I told our story so far was Lori, Luna and Lucy. Lori I had to tell her more about me if I joined the crew, Luna too. As for Lucy she just likes to know about past of the others. And you? What is your reason ?"

Lincoln then made a warm smile, confusing Lana.

"I just though that you and your sister might be both really tough and brave little girls to become pirates at your age. I was just impressed and now I have more reasons to be."

He though she and Lola was tough and brave ? And he gladly admitted it. He was so kind and sincere, no wonder why Charles liked him so fast. Lana was feeling ecstatic at the comment, so the only thing she could do was returning the smile.

"Thanks Lincoln."

He nodded, took the net and asked.

"So we're going to attach this net to Charles or what ?"

"Yeah! Let's do this! We won't waste more time! I want my ride too !"

On this they went on their first task laughing with another.

* * *

Lincoln climbed back onboard letting Lana hang out with Charles.

"I don't think I'll need a bath tonight." He chuckled while looking at himself: He was still dripping wet but not because of his ride, but because he had to go back in the water to put the net to Charles.

He suddenly heard an explosion coming from nowhere, shaking the entire boat. Lincoln felt like his heart was in his throat as he was panting in panic. In the corner of his eye, he saw smoke coming from the hold.

"Oh no ! Maybe the powder burned !"

He though then began to run in the gundeck. Once in the smoke began to disappear, but it was still difficult to see. He could hear a voice in the big cloud.

"EVERYONE STAY CALM! I JUST FAILED A COMBINATION ! YES AGAIN!"

"Is everything alright there ?"

"WHO IS THAT ?"

"The cabin boy ! I heard an explosion !"

A form appeared in the cloud, it began coming closer to Lincoln until he finally notice that it was Luan. She was wearing her bandana over her mouth, as a mask, and she wore gloves. Her upper face was covered in dust and black ashes.

"OH! IT'S THE CABIN BOY !" She shouted in front of him

"Is everything alright ? I heard an explosion ."

She looked at him with puzzled eyes, she then reached to unplug something from her ears.

"That's better. Said something ?"

"Yeah… I asked if you were alright. Something exploded ?"

"Oh yeah ! It's nothing to worry about I was just trying something !'

"What kind of "something" involves an explosion ?"

"Fireworks."

"What's that ?"

She looked at him big eyes, then quickly lowered her bandana. Her mouth, , nose, cheeks and chin was clean, it contrasted with the part of her face that was in black.

"You really want to know ?"

He hesitantly nodded.

Luan made a big grin.

"I'll tell you about it, but first let's get some fresh air. Black powder isn't very good for lungs."

They climb up the stairs and were on the first deck. Luan went to the door of the Captain's room.

"Wait a second here."

She then entered and let Lincoln alone. He waited for what seemed to be 10 minutes until the door opened again with Luan who brought two stools and put them around a barrel. Lincoln get the hint that he had to sit on one of them. He sat and she did the same in front of him.

She opened a chest that was near her and take out an apple she dropped on the barrel. Lincoln looked at the apple a bit confused and saw a light reflected on the barrel. When he raised his head, he felt a cold sweat: Luan had a knife and was ready to stab.

She planted the knife in the apple and cut a piece of it before handing it to Lincoln who backed away a bit.

"Want some ?" She nicely asked the boy, without caring about his sudden gesture.

Lincoln took the piece and muttered a "thank you".

He looked at the piece of fruit in his hand before realizing something.

"I though you only had one trunk of fruits. Where does this come from ?"

"Lynn just exaggerated. We got at least three trunks full like that."

"Why she was so angry then ?"

"It's because you ate the whole thing. How did you even do that ?" She giggled at the question.

"Well I spent a major part of my life having only fish soup as dinner and I missed it last night. So when I found your chest I couldn't contain myself… Sorry about that." He made a sad frown.

"It's okay, like I said earlier we got plenty of them. Be ready to eat only fruit salad while you're here. But we aren't here to talk about that." She kept cutting the apple in several pieces. "So what do you want to know about fireworks ?"

"What are they ? And what do you make them ?"

"I'll answer your two questions with one answer: I make them to make people happy."

"How ?" He asked confused. And he had all rights to be, because all he knew so far from "fireworks" is that it could explode. And generally ,you're not so happy when you're burned because of a deflagration.

"Well how to explain this ? Fireworks is a form of art, it's from China. I learned how to craft them with a foreign craftsman. He told me that they were used to celebrate the new year."

"He showed me the beauty that could come out from something as dangerous as canon powder. That was a big lesson of life: even the most terrible people have something good inside of them, all they need is to let it explode."

What a nice and yet and scary quote, Lincoln though .

She put the knife asides and went on.

"My good something is that I love to make people happy, precisely make people laugh. I like to make jokes and see amazement in the eyes of those who watch a spectacle of fireworks."

"How many did you do so far ?"

"I made 3 that are ready to be used, I just wait a special occasion. But I keep them as far as I can from Lana and Luna, those two can be a bit too excited at a spectacle like this."

Lincoln rolled his eyes and smiled "I think I can see why."

"And if you're interested I can also make handmade bombs."

Lincoln looked at her with big eyes.

"Yeah, the method for fireworks and bombs are pretty much the same."

"I-I'll remember that…."

An awkward silence followed as Luan was eating piece by piece her apple. It didn't help that Lincoln had the feeling of being observed by someone. Luan broke the silence.

"Let's forget this morbid subject and talk about something else. Tell me a bit about you. Where did you learn to trick women like that?"

"Uh ?"

"You know, how did you think of trapping us in our own boat ? Don't tell me you just improvised that."

He laughed nervously and rubbed his neck.

"Noooo . You did improvise the whole thing !"

She tapped the barrel with her fist while laughing. "You really did a number back there !"

"It's not that much, really : I just manage to found a way out when I'm in trouble. But sometimes it doesn't go so smoothly…"

"You always found a plan to get out of the worst situation. This give me an idea, I'd call you "the man with a plan". I'm sure Luna will like it! "

"Please no. She already has a nickname for me."

"Can I know it ?"

"It's a bit embarrassing…You should ask her later."

"Alright. I think the smoke must have disappeared now. I'll return working."

She got up and began walking towards the entrance of the gundeck before stopping and thinking. After a moment she then turned back to Lincoln.

"You know what ? I think I can finish that later and it's more fun to hang out with you."

She took back her seat.

"Now tell me more about those plans who failed. I want to know all about it."

Lincoln had to please his public. He did it with a bit of embarrassment but was glad that someone was willing to listen to him. And they spoke like that during all the remaining of the afternoon, until the curfew. They didn't notice that they talked so long until Luna came and told them. Luan went back to the hold after saying good night to the cabin boy and the first mate.

Once they were alone on the deck, under the night sky of the sea. Luna decided to check her little cabin boy.

"So pretty boy, how was your first day ?" She asked Lincoln.

"Well so far so good. I learned a bit more about Lucy, Lana and Luan. And I also met Charles."

"I can see that you did a great job at mobbing the deck" she said checking the floor "and that you already charmed three girls so far, uh?" She said with a devious smile while raising and lowering her eyebrows.

"I-I-I didn't !" He stuttered with a red face.

"I'm just messing with ya !" She laughed at the cute reaction of the boy. "Let's get back to business . How are you going to spend the night, because I don't think the girls will let you sleep in a hammock near her for the first night .If you want the chest is still free for tonight."

"No thanks. I think I'll just stargaze tonight."

"Whatever you want. Good night Lincoln." She walked to the hold.

"Good night, Luna."

Lincoln sat at the feet of the mast, then shuddered at a cold breeze. He looked around him to find something to cover himself with, his gaze fell on a big clothe which was on the floor near him. He took it and felt the fabric under his finger: he could felt that it was handmade, sew with finesse and precision, and it was strangely soft.

He covered himself with it and felt the cold fades away as he began to close his eyes and sleep, soothed by the sounds of the waves and under the stars which overlooked the ocean.

What a great first day…


	4. What they can do !

**Yes I am like super late but some event have occurred that prevented me from posting. But here I am posting another chapter, and sorry to say that but I think that my uploads will now be monthly because I decided to spend more time on writing and planning the following chapters. But let's stop with that ! On the chapter !**

* * *

Darkness.

That was all Lincoln could see. He didn't exist but he watched. He wasn't here but he felt. He couldn't touch but he could hear.

Hear the sound of a coin which is falling. The jingling of the metal against the air during his fall.

He suddenly saw it. He could watch it falling and turning around, showing the two faces one after another. One side was a skull with only the superior part and without the jaw. The other side represented a C. The coin was made in gold.

The sea appeared under it, however it wasn't blue like usual or dark like the actual surrounding but red. Like a gigantic puddle of blood.

The coin dive in the red water.

"Kyahahahahaha !"

A laugh resonate suddenly, the laugh of a man. Looking for the source of it Lincoln lift his head to look elsewhere.

He find a boat. It was huge, and had three gigantic sails. Lincoln couldn't guess what type of ship it was because it was burning. The fire was everywhere on the first deck, devouring the mast and destructing the sails. The laughing continued to echoed trough the wreck.

The deep laugh was replaced by another voice. This voice was more silent and more high pitched. It's seemed to be the voice of a little girl who sounded like she was crying. Lincoln listened carefully and heard

"Lincooooln !"

He was shocked but kept listening, hoping he didn't heard that.

"Lincooooln !"

A little voice is crying and calling him, she's in the boat he thought but he couldn't see her and he couldn't move closer to the wreck. He suddenly fell in the red water with the impression to being dragged in it. The voice became louder in his ears despite the fact he was drowning. He saw the lights of the fire at the surface disappear as he joined the depths of the ocean. He watched his last bubbles of oxygen disappear as he felt into unconsciousness.

He began to close his eyes but he opened them wide when he suddenly felt something brushing against him, he jerked around, moving his arms everywhere and closed his eyes.

When he reopened them he was on a boat ,leaning on the mast. He lifted his head and looked at the blue sky without a single clod and a bright sun. He heard the waves against the hull and the winds in the sails.

He sighed in relief "Just a bad dream. Everything is fine: I'm on a pirate ship, I washed the deck…" He looked around him to see the same deck where he slept last night with Luan lying on the floor at two meters from him… " played with an orca, slept under the mast and knocked out Luan."

"…."

"I KNOCKED OUT LUAN !?" He instantly get up and kneeled near the stunned Luan.

"OH MY GOD! I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT YOU !OH GOSHT JUST HAPPENED !" he baffled at the woman who was regaining consciousness. She opened her eyes and looked at the sorry boy.

"If I knew that you weren't that much of a morning person, I wouldn't have try to wake you ." She giggled holding her cheek which was hurting.

"Y-you tried to wake me ?"

 **2 Min earlier**

The deck is desert except for Lincoln who is peacefully sleeping under the mast. But a complain could be heard, coming from the hold.

"Luan don't do this ! Luan don't do that ! Luan don't come closer to the powder! And nah nahnah" Luan exit the hold annoyed because Luna and Lynn just scolded her because she was making a combination near a barrel. " I'm sure that wasn't even enough to light a candle. They're exaggerating !" obviously she doesn't mention that the sparkles were bright enough to create a light which have woken Lola, Lana ,Lynn and Luna when they were sleeping at 20 meters from her.

"they're just chickens !" She said stopping her walk to lean on the mast. She decided to listen to the sounds her surrounding to calm herself. After a moment, she looked at the horizon and sighed. "I hope we're near Wood Cost, so I can finally find again my workshop ". "I'm sure Lincoln will like my work."

"ZZZ"

She turned around the mast to see what is the source of the sound and found Lincoln sleeping with a big black blanket. He looked so peaceful ,but he was slightly frowning. Maybe a bad dream ? She kneeled near him and looked at him snoring.

"You really slept here, all alone last night ? Damn, that's harsh for a first night onboard ." She looked at the cabin of Lori behind her "She already let you come with us, I doubt she'll give you more sympathy." She turned back to him and began to gently shake him by the shoulder "So you should better wake up before her." She softly told him.

He began to grumble, showing that he didn't want to be waken up.

"Lincooooln." She gently called and shaking him. No answer.

"Lincooooln." She tried again. Still unresponsive.

"Come on boy, I'm sure this mast is comfy but if you want to be in the good grace of Lori you must get up !" She sighed and began to pull his "blanket", once she get to look at it properly, she was surprised to see that it wasn't an ordinary blanket, not even a blanket in fact.

She suddenly felt a cold breeze and shivered a bit, and Lincoln felt it too. After having felt that something was taken from him and taking a full blow of an icy wind, he began to jerk around, startling Luan. She tried to calm him down by grabbing his fists but he was too fast. She suddenly took a lost blow right in the left cheek, sending her fly ,with the "blanket" in hand, at two meters from her original position. She was seeing star and would have passed out if the blow didn't hurt that much.

She didn't bite her tongue or her cheek hopefully, but she could swore that if her back teeth weren't a bit crooked she would have lost them, all of them. She could feel the pain flowing through her whole head, it was like he just hit a bell, and she was the bell.

In her stunned stat she had heard Lincoln get up and rush to her.

"At least he's up now…."

 **Now**

Luan was sitting on the floor and just finished to tell her little misadventure to Lincoln. The boy could only feel really bad for what he did, even if it wasn't on purpose. And this feeling grew when he watched her rubbing her pain spot. He had to say something, at least apologize…once again. He opened his mouth but she talked first.

"You know, you're lucky."

"Why?"

"If it was Lynn who had to wake you, and you'd greeted her with this kind of handshake she would have turned you into a human cannonball."

The though made Lincoln flinch a bit. "ow."

"If she didn't cut you in piece before."

This made Lincoln sweat heavily and trembled as he imagined her furious gaze and her very sharp cutlass with which she attempted to kill him twice yesterday. And it was only when she saw him, so what could happen if he hurt her ? Or worst ?

"She only kills when it's needed though ,but she made it clear that she doesn't like you."

"I understood that. It's only thanks to the Captain that I'm still here." He sighed in relief remembering yesterday when Luna introduced him. Lori stepped in to stop her before it was too late. He could see again the sword, which looked very fancy especially for a pirate because this type of sword needed a special manipulation to be used at their full potential. And who says special manipulation says years of special training. This made Lincoln think a moment before Luan broke his thoughts.

"Otherwise, you slept well ?"

"In fact yeah, it was a bit freezing at first but I found a cover near me so I was fine."

"Now that you mention it, your "cover" is right here and you're going to laugh when you'll see what it really is."

She stood up and took the thing with both hand and showed it to Lincoln. His eyes widened at the full display of the clothe.

The cover was all black, but what really shocked Lincoln was the center. A skull with long eyelashes and tentacles all around it.

"I present you the Jolly Rodger of our crew, the soul of our ship, and also the "blanky" of the cabin boy" she said while moving her eyebrows from top to bottom "Miss Medusa !The flag of the medusa crew!" She proudly exclaimed ,showing it to Lincoln. She could imagine his amazed gaze, while looking at her beautiful flag. She wanted to see his expression and glanced at him but found another expression on his face.

His eyes were wide opened and his face was blue, like he was scared of something. His body was stiff and even his cowlick was standing straight.

"Hey, Lincoln! Are you okay ?" She asked worried.

However in the mind of Lincoln what was happening was a trail of thoughts like "I disrespected a pirate's flag ! I used it as a simple blanket ! I'm going to have the worst sentence!" He quickly positioned himself on his knees and bend until his forehead was on the floor. "I'm sorry !I didn't know it was your flag !" I shouldn't have used for a purpose so degrading !"

"S-S-Stop that ! You don't have to excuse yourself for that !" She retort embarrassed , not even knowing why he is excusing himself. She tried to lift up the boy and asked. "And first why are you saying sorry ? You did nothing wrong !"

"How isn't it a crime to use a flag this way ?!" He whimpered while looking at her.

"I'm not even sure someone thought it could be a disrespect gesture !" She shouted at the stupid question

"So… It's okay ?"

"Yeah, it's okay. You did nothing wrong. In fact you seemed so comfy in it I didn't want to disturb you."

He sighed and seat against the mast." Well I must admit that the fabric was quite soft and it kept me warm. It's more like a big coat than a flag."

"Huhu. You'll have to thanks Leni for that. She sewed herself the flag along with our wardrobes."

"Uh, sorry to ask that but… Who is Leni again ?"

"It's only your first day so I understand. Leni is the tall blonde girl you saw yesterday, well the second after Lori. And if you ask me what is her post, she is the cook of the crew but spend most of her time trying to create new clothes for us. In fact most of our wardrobe is from her."

"Interesting." And it was, for a girl who could be scared that easily she could do things like cook and create clothes for an entire crew. Lincoln did notice that she was quite beautiful too, almost looking like a lady. So how did she end up as a pirate? This crew is very intriguing.

"Yep. Maybe if you ask her she'll make something for you as well." She takes a mischievous smile "But I don't know if she'll make an exception for white-haired ghost."

"Oh come on ! She still thinks that I'm a ghost? I thought I made it clear that I am normal."

"I'm messing with you. But if you want to talk to her you must know that she is… How can I say that ?... Let's say that sometimes she can be a bit slow at understanding some things."

"How slow?"

"You'll see…"

The two sailors hear someone coming from the hold, that someone reveal to be Lynn. Once out she cracks the joints in her back by straightening it up and shoulders by rolling them back and forth. When she finished she spots Luan and walk up to her. She stops when she's near the mast.

"Next time when you want to do your little experiments, wait to be with Lisa so she can tell you how to explode yourself without involving the others." Lynn said her without noticing Lincoln at her feet.

"Just like I said it wasn't that dangerous, the worse that could have happened was that I burnt myself."

Lynn shook her head, seeing no point of arguing about this .She started to leave but noticed Lincoln. Her expression darkened (more than usual ?) and her eyes narrowed while throwing a glare at him. She said without hiding her displeasure "Oh…He's still here…"

The air around Lincoln became tense and he was stiff as Lynn continued to glare at him. And all he could do was to look back in her eyes. He saw his reflection :he looked so weak in her eyes, so hated in her soul. Never in his life he felt so much hostility emanate from someone.

The door of the captain's cabin opened and Lori went out yawning. She extended her arms with her tricorn hat in her right hand as Luna get out from the hold and start to walk until she's in front of her.

"Morning Lori !"

"Morning." She replaced her hat "So when do you think we'll be at Wood Cost ?"

"I'd say at the beginning of the evening."

"Good ! Go assign everyone at their post, the day will be long and I don't want anyone slacking off !"

"As you want." She start to turn around before remembering something. "Oi Lori! Don't forget that today it's your turn to help Leni with the cooking."

Lori is taken aback and began to entwined her index together "Are you sure of that because I think I already-"

"Nah nah ! Yesterday it was me. The day before it was Luan. Now it's your turn Captain." She pointed her finger at her with a grin. She knew like everyone that Lori didn't really like cooking because even if the chief was Leni, it could be a hard task to prepare 8 meals for a whole crew and she was extremely lazy.

"You said it yourself :no slacking off."

She panickly looked in every direction and her eyes fell on Lincoln. She had found her way out." Mr Loud ! I was looking for you: today you're going to assist our chief !"

Luna turned to see Lincoln who had at first a confused look but then bright up and stood up instantly. "Aye Captain !"

In Lincoln's mind the order of the Captain was the divine intervention he asked for to flee the murdering gaze of Lynn. He would have go now if he knew where was the kitchen. "And where can I found her ?"

"Go to the last deck it's here we're have most of our food, you'll find Leni waiting for you." Luna told him before going back to Lori who tried sneaking back to her cabin but she grabbed her shoulder and whispered "Don't think today you'll do nothing. I'll find something for you as well."

"And I thought I was the captain." Lori said to herself.

Lincoln promptly went back to the hold without noticing that Lynn was still following him with her gaze.

* * *

On his way to the third deck Lincoln saluted Lana and Lola. The first one gladly greeted back but the latter stayed silent not even bothering look at him ,much to Lana annoyance but Lincoln didn't mind "At least she doesn't want to murder me…I think so…"

Lincoln descended the stairs to the third deck : where they kept their supplies, ammos and varied other things. Once he arrived he spotted Leni ,she was sitting on a concrete near a table which had a bowl full of what seemed to be fruits.

He began to walk to her but suddenly feel like the world incline to the right. He stumbled until he fall on his right and collide in the hull. Startled by the sound Leni turn around to see Lincoln bending forward on his knees ,holding his head. "All of my mornings will begin like this ?" he painly thought as he bit his down lip. "That's a good way of restart our introductions. What a dumbass ! I can't even do something as simple as walk and talk to a woman."

He kept to curse himself under his breath but suddenly felt a hand on his head. He stopped breathing and moving then the hand began to move on his scalp. It was tenderly rubbing it, the sensation was pleasant. As if it was the hand of a mother who tried to ease the pain of her child after a fall.

"Are you okay ?" A soft and tender voice asked.

Lincoln lifted his head and he saw Leni rubbing tenderly his head with a caring expression.

"Sorry, everything turn upside down here."

He stood up on his knees, she moved her hand away and placed her on her cheek. "I hope it didn't hurt that much ?" She asked in concern.

"N-No. It's okay !" "The Captain told me to come here to help you."

"Well I almost finished so instead you could just keep me company."

"Oh! Uh okay…"

She went back on her "seat" and went back to her preparation. Lincoln observed her peeling some fruits from the bowl and placing them in another one besides her.

"Today it's fruit salad." Leni said while she kept peeling. "Do you like kiwis?"

"I-I never tasted one before…"

Her eyes brightened with glee, she reached into an open trunk near her and pulled out a kiwi. She cut it under the curious eyes of Lincoln. She made four parts and gave one to him.

"Don't eat the skin or your throat will be itchy !"

Lincoln looked at the fruit in his hands ant took a bite. After a moment his eyes opened like he just had a revelation, because his pupils had the shape of stars.

"That's one of the best thing I ate in my life. And it's not even cooked yet!"

"Yay !Glad you like it because we got plenty of them !" She squealed.

DONG-DONG-DONG

"What's that ?"

"it's the Bell." Leni answered.

He turned to her "Bell?" he asked her with a puzzled expression.

"It's a bell we're using to call everyone. "She place a finger on her chin and began to think ."If I remember well, three times it's for an attack."

Lincoln wanted to ask a question but he knew he would regret it. But he did even so "What sort of attacks ?"

"Attacks from other ships, of course." She said, smiling like it was a current answer.

Lincoln felt a cold thrill at the thought of being assaulted by pirates, well others pirates. They were peacefully sailing to Wood Cost, a peaceful village on a peaceful board. And coming from nowhere come a ship maybe full of bloodthirsty pirates. Or maybe the girls wanted to attack them, because it was in the nature of pirates, even if so far he didn't see any signs of this behavior in one of them.

"You should go see it." Leni interrupted him in his thought.

Taken aback by the chief suggestion he could only ask "What? Why?"

"It's always impressive when the girls decide to fight…"she paused a moment to look at him "And, I don't know maybe they'll need you up there."

"Maybe they'll need me ?"he anxiously thought "I don't know how I could be useful :I don't know anything about fighting…"

"BUT if someone needs me, well it's my duty as a cabin boy to help in any ways possible !" He filled himself with a new found determination (but he was still chickening of course)

"If you're worried you can still stay here." Leni said, thinking his silence was a way to show he is afraid.

"N-No it's okay ! I'll go up and see if they need me !"

"Later then !"

On this he climbed the stairs, watching carefully his steps and preparing himself mentally for what will happen up there.

* * *

Lincoln finally reached the first deck and was greeted by Lana who suddenly pulled him.

"Come on ! We were waiting for you !"

"What do you mean by "we were waiting for you"?" he asked now regretting his decision of coming up and fearing he might have to fight as well.

"Stop asking stupid questions, and hurry !" She told him by dragging him to the edge of the deck where she sat. She patted the seat next to her and he confusingly took place next to her.

From where he was he saw that Lynn, Luan and Luna were lined up while Lori was walking in front of them. Luna turned to see him and waved at him "Glad you finally came ,Love !"

"Glad to see that you decided to join us Mr. Loud." She turned back "What do we have today Lola ?"

Lola was checking the enemy ship with a telescope "Their flag is the Royal Navy's… Hum… Oh! They have noticed us! They're running around… I don't see that many with weapons… There must be around twenty or thirty armed men ,the rest must just be sailors."

"So surely a patrol. Good! Time to roll the call." Lori cleared her throat and began. "Luna !"

"Here!"

"Luan !"

"Always here for the party !"

"Lynn !"

"Right there!"

"Lucy !"

No response

"Lucy !"

"I'm here."

"WAAAAAH! WOULD YOU STOP DOING THAT !" A flushed Lori commanded to the girl in black.

"No."

The navy ship began to bombard but they missed and all the cannonballs ended up in the water, provoking waves that shook the boat. Lola quickly took a seat at the right of Lana. Lori pulled out her sword and said:

"Okay children !We're going to assault this navy ship so pay attention of what we're doing. And once finished you're going to empty it so… It's the usual."

"What are we supposed to pay attention ?" Lincoln whispered to Lana.

"Well in fact we didn't really get a training to fight before we join the crew so the older girls try to make us observe when they fight. Like at school !"

"How nice of them." Lincoln said with an obvious sarcastic tone.

Before they knew it the patrol ship was already near the "Armed Girl" and was ready to attack, or to be attack. Lincoln gulped and gave a last glance to the girls who were ready to jump in.

Lori had her blue coat on her shoulders and she adjusted her tricorn hat. She hold her sword in the way that the blade was stuck in the wood, but you could see that she was ready to pull out at any moment.

Luna wore the same dark purple coat of yesterday. She searched something in it, and after having found it she pulled out two Flintlock pistols. She made them roll on her fingers before stopping and shaking them near her ears. She smirked and muttered "Just what I need."

Luan as for her only had a bag with one strap that was hold by her right shoulder. She pulled out a box of matches and looked for something else in it. Seeing her struggled Luna tapped her shoulder and gave her a cigar. Luan thanked her and lighted it but she didn't smoke it, instead she put in on a smaller strap on the bag and let out a little "perfect !" as she was finishing to prepare herself.

Lynn as for her seemed delighted as she was rubbing the cutting edge of her cutlass." Finally some actions ! I don't think I would have stand longer without fighting someone !" She muttered while she watched the reflect of Lincoln behind her in her sword. "And I'll show this idiot why you don't mess with me…"

As for Lucy she was still wearing her all black outfit and her monotone expression. She didn't have a sword or a pistol like the others but a cane. It was a one meter grey cane with a crow head for pommel. "How is she supposed to fight with this ?" Lincoln thought not understanding the choice of weapon of Lucy. And the others didn't seem to mind, this only increased the incomprehension of Lincoln.

Lincoln suddenly realized something that didn't occur him before but should have. "Wait !They are only five against a boat full of soldiers from the Royal Navy !? This isn't fair ! They 'll never measure up !" Lincoln was going to protest before Luna slightly turned her head and said.

"You don't have to worry, Pretty Boy. Watch and learn!"

Lincoln unsure of what to responds took back his seat still worrying despite what Luna just said. When he sat back he saw that Lana and Lola were watching him with confused eyes. The same thing was for Luna as the four other girls looked oddly at her.

"How did you call him ?"

"How did she call you ?"

The two ships collided and the military crew was ready to fight, you could even hear their captain giving a speech of support before the attack.

"YOU ALL, ARE THE PRIDE OF THE ROYAL NAVY AND AS IT IS, YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW THOSE CRIMINALS WHY THEY SHOUDN'T HAVE DARED TO HOIST A BLACK FLAG IN OUR SIGHT !"

"YEAHHH!"The sailors cheered at the words of their captain.

This kind of speech Lincoln always dreamed to hear it but when it was destined to him and not against him. "I'm sure that must be really funny for you, hum?" He said looking at the readers.

"SHOW THEM NO PITY AND WHAT WE RESERVED FOR THOSE KIND OF CRIMIN-!"

The girls jumped on the boat and Lynn interrupted him by landing on their captain, knocking him out. Standing on him she shouted "Just cut it out and let's get to business !" provoking the opposing crew.

The group of men , without hesitation, launched their assault on them.

"Let's see who defeats the most !" Luna challenged the others.

The girls drift to different ways so each of them can face a group of soldiers. From where he was Lincoln could only observe and praying they know what they're doing, while Lana and Lola cheer them up. Apparently he was also here to learn something, so he tried to concentrate on each one of the girls. Beginning with Lucy because he was really fearing the most for her.

When he saw her, he was more than surprised to see what she was doing: She was casually walking when four soldiers were charging at her; each of them had sword and by the look of their faces they knew how to use them to kill a pirate. They didn't slow their movements when they saw she was a girl, it seemed that they even speed up. Lincoln could only observe powerless as they approached nearer to Lucy who was still walking. Once the first soldier was close, he struck but the hit never got her because she suddenly disappeared in front of him. But Lincoln saw something else: he saw her pass between each of them, and they didn't seem to feel her presence or at least see her. She took her normal speed once she was behind the group.

Lucy kept walking as nothing happened but at the same time she was holding her cane with both hands. Lincoln found that strange until he saw it: she was pulling back her sword in the cane. Once in, all the men that tried to attack her collapsed, from the front to the back. The eyes of Lana and Lola were filled with admiration, as Lincoln tried to understand what happened

"She cut them! I didn't even see her touch them ! How she did this ?" his thought were interrupted when he heard a loud sound coming from another part of the boat and saw a big cloud of smoke. The smoke came from the hold leading to the gundeck, from where Luan quickly got out with her bandana on her face. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a small ball of red strings with a fuse. She lighted it with the cigar and threw it in the gundeck. After three seconds, it exploded and a red smoke went out from the hold with sailors who jumped out hiding their eyes and they cried "It burns !Dammit ! What's that !?"

Luan laughed and shouted "I recommend you to not descend in here, it's a bit chili ! Ah ah ah ah !"

"Godamn Luan !" A voice came from a group of five soldiers who were charging at a same point, but they all were repulsed to where they came from. At the center was Lynn who just found another sword, so now she had a pirate cutlass in the right hand and a navy cutlass in the left. The repulsed soldiers recovered and charged at her. One of them attacked her at the front ,she blocked him with the left sword and hit him in the stomach with the pommel of the right sword, before pulling back her hand, twisting her wrist and hitting him once again in the chin. Once the soldier was on the floor, the four others took the occasion to sneak in her back and they all attacked at the same time.

Lincoln saw the four blades coming down on her "SHE CAN'T ESCAPE THAT !" he closed his eyes to avoid to see the massacre. He heard two gasps at his side and he decided to open one eye and what he saw let him wide eyed and agape mouthed. As he expected she didn't' escape them but she didn't take the hits neither. Lynn had crossed her arms and her two swords were blocking the four others, just above her head. The swordsmen tried to push their blades further but couldn't because of the incredible strength of the pirate. "Now let's roll !" After saying that, Lynn turned to her right, dragging the four blades with her before violently extending her arms in the process, sending the soldiers fly in the airs. Lynn stood up straight and looked at her right sword. She smirked when she saw the scared yet awed expression of Lincoln.

"SHOOT AT HER !" The responsible gunner commanded to his men who were aiming at Luna. But the aimed didn't seem to mind, all she did was tapping her foot on the floor in a certain rhythm while humming. This sight really troubled the gunners, who didn't know if they could really shout at someone who is unarmed ,or at least who seems to be. She stopped tapping and humming, alerting everyone. "Let's try this…" she muttered, and quickly pulled out one of her flintlock from her back and she began singing.

 **As I was drinking and singing**

 **My crowd get begging**

 **For one song of more**

 **As I shout my voice is sore**

No one did dare to shot at the singing pirate, because they weren't really prepared for an event like this. At the same time some began to move their shoulders in rhythm, others tapped their foot.

 **They ask for one more song**

 **I request they tag along**

 **We begin , everything go good**

' **Till I see him at my foot**

They finally all succumbed and began to move from left to right, while the responsible tried to call them to order. It was to late as the woman began to trigger each one of them. As the song kept up each men was on the floor, not death but unable to move.

 **So naïve, and yet so charming**

 **I couldn't resist to not bring him in**

 **I looked at him, insisting**

 **He had no choice that to sing in the inn**

Luna stopped out of bullets and out of lyrics « Ow man, I've got a blank ! » she sadly stated not noticing that she just wiped out some of the best shooters of the military crew on her own. « I've got to work on the rest later. I'm sure they will like that in the next bar ! » She brought back her empty pistol in her back, pulled out the other and went to look for inspiration on another side of the assaulted ship.

Lincoln had a big mix of feelings at this moment. Obviously there was the amazement because, let's be clear, she made a group of trained and professional soldiers dance while she was singing and on top of that she shot them all without killing them (he could heard them whincing in pain as others said it was worth the song, well the piece of song ). And he was also embarrassed because he clearly understood that the song was about him and the words she used to described how he looked back then didn't make it better.

But a little wave of happiness was over him: having a song made about him even if it wasn't really a praise ,was a nice intention.

« Lori is fighting the captain ! Go Lori ! Go ! » Lana shouted bringing Lincoln to look at the side where Lori was facing the captain who had a bump on the back of his head. He looked furious.

« Fucking vermin !You're going to pay me that ! » He threated the captain of the Medusa's, referencing to his head.

« Come and get me, then ! » Lori responded.

He pulled out his sword and put himself in position, Lori did the same. The Captain looked surprised to see the kind of weapon Lori had. « What kind of criminal like you can have a sword like this ? » he spited with venom in his voice.

« The kind who is free and who knows what they want ! »

Getting at his wits'end he charged her with his blade aiming at her stomach, Lori deviated him to the left. Despite his posistion he saw a chance to slice her head, he struck with his sword horizontally but she protected herself by positioning her sword vertically.

She took a step back and took advantage of the thinness of her blade to wrap her oponent weapon and lifted it, resulting in the pommel hitting him right in the chin. When he replaced his head, the tip of the rapier of Lori was right before his nose.

« This boat is our. » She smirked and the sword of the captain landed between the legs of a knocked out soldier, waking him up with a scream.

* * *

Lincoln placed a big plank on the edge of the ship in order to access the boat of the defeated crew of the Royal Navy. Even now after the girls had tied the soldiers who were inconscious and those who surrendered Lincoln had still trouble to believe that only five of the Medusa crew had fought a load of soldiers. And that they won.

After having crossed the bridge Lori exclamed « Now your turn to work ! » adressing to her spectators , meaning Lola, Lana and Lincoln. The three moved to the other boat and began to unload the stock, with the latter throwing glance to the defeated soldiers. « If I had engaged myself, it could have been me… Even so, they're really strong. »He remembered each one of their fight against the crew with troubled thoughts on Lynn and Lucy.

The first one because now he really understand that he would never match her in a fight, she is way stronger than him. Making her even more terrifying in the mind of the cabin boy.

But the later disturbed his mind as he recalled what happened. Lucy defeated on her own the soldiers without even them notice her. Making her even more mysterious in the mind of the cabin boy.

Once they finished, the ship went back to his trip to Wood Coast. Leaving behind it a boat empty of any goods but full of frustrated soldiers.

Luna was making the inventory of what they had acquired :four barrels full of powder and some ammos. And Lincoln was helping her with the cleaning.

« Why didn't you kill them ? » Lincoln asked her while he put aside the last barrel. « I mean, I though pirates always killed the people they attacked. »

At first she looked at him a bit surprised by his sudden question, but she though it was logical for him to ask. She took a sit on a trunk and put her left leg over her right one.

« Everyone thinks that Pretty Boy ,but it's not always true. All the pirates aren't the same. We don't kill because we don't want to and others do because they have to. They are even some who become pirate to have an excuse to kill. » She sadly exclamed shaking her head.

« But don't worry about that. As long as you're with us, you won't have to take the life of anyone. » Luna followed with a reassuring smile, which seemed to have eased the boy

«Sooo how was the fight ? » Luna decided to ask him, and it seems that shed id good because he suddenly brighten up.

« You guys are incredible ! I mean you were only five against, I don't know , fifty soldiers! »

« Years of training that paid off today. If you're interrested we could teach you some things. »

« I would love that ! »

The rest of the day followed as everyone decided to relax during the remaining of the road to Wood Coast where every Medusa hoped to find againt their navigator and dear ship they called «Home».

* * *

 **I'm sorry if the end looked rushed, but once again I decided to spend more time on my writing in order to make the story progress without troubles of comprehension. And I hope you don't mind almost superhuman pirates.**


	5. How you're doing, old friend ?

**So, the chapter is shorter than excepted and I'm really sorry about that. It's just that I realized that I had to change many things to make it better and that would take too much time. So, I cut it in two.**

 **Hope you like it anyway. And for those who are waiting for Lisa, I don't want you to have a bad surprise so I warn you know: She will only appear in the next chapter.**

 **Sorry again.**

* * *

"You want to visit Wood Coast? Why?" Lori asked to the request of her temporary cabin boy.

"Well I didn't really go out of Royal Wood, in fact, I didn't even have any experience outside of it. So that's why I wanted to ask you if during our stopover I could, uh, you know, see the surroundings." He finished and made a wide smile of persuasion.

"I don't know about that. We have a schedule and I don't want to make Lisa wait longer…"

He fell on his knees and joined his hand together in prying style "Please! I would do anything!"

Luna decided to support the boy "Let him go, Lori. I this can reassure you, one of us can go with him and make sure he makes it in time." Suggesting her.

Lori looked at Luna and took a glance at Lincoln who was still on his knees. She pondered a moment at the suggestion of her first mate: They made their navigator wait two days while she assisted at the reparation of their homeboat and they didn't want to waste their time waiting for a cabin boy….

…But she remembered that if this was his first trip, and maybe last (I mean you never know), it would be good for him to see what another town looks like. And the part where he would do anything in return was really tempting.

"Fine you can go visit the town but I want you to be with someone: First, for making sure you don't lose yourself and second, also because we had to hide our boat somewhere. If you're not with someone who knows where is it you'll never find it. Understood?"

"YES CAPTAIN!" He cheerfully exclaimed with the thought that it was like he was considered as a child. But he was too happy to mind it.

Lori put her index on her chin and began to think "Now who will go with you?"

Obviously, she had to command one of her older mates to go with him, because they weren't the only one to know where was the boat, it was just that the simple idea of someone younger than him watching him didn't really look like a bright idea. So, she thought of the options.

The second oldest after her was Leni, she didn't doubt of her being responsible but maybe it wasn't a so good idea. She didn't want to risk that Leni gets lost with Lincoln. Risking on losing both of them, even in a small town like this, was high with Leni and her problem at remembering things.

Luna was a good choice, she liked him and he liked her, but because of that, they might lose some times because they would just enjoy hanging out together. Not that it was a bad thing but you never know what can happen with Luna. Plus, the fact that she would be really useful in the organization of the goods they gained this morning in their ship.

Luan was the same as Luna, but the big risk with her was that she ends up doing a spectacle with all of her things that explode and make multicolored smoke. And bringing the attention wasn't really what they wanted now.

There would also be Lucy but with her strange habit of disappearing every time she would lost Lincoln without even knowing it.

The only one left is….

"Lynn will go with you." She said, concluding this was the only and best choice. She didn't notice obviously the faces of Luna and Lincoln who showed a shocked and fear-filled expression, the latter being more remarkable on Lincoln.

Luna pulled Lori in a corner and whispered "Normally I'm just shutting myself when you make a decision that doesn't please me, but now I must say it: This is a very bad idea!"

"I don't see why, it seems like the better option."

"What about me? I'm responsible of him! I have my word to say!"

"Luna, you're not his mother and, excuse me, but you're too unpredictable for me to just let you go somewhere and pick a fight with a random drunk guy."

"I'm not always like that! Try to understand! Lynn hates him, with all her guts!"

"One more reason for her to go, so they can learn to appreciate each other. And at worst she won't waste time and just drag him to the boat once they've finished."

"This is insane!"

Meanwhile, in the background of this argument, Lincoln was still on his knees but this time his cheery mood was replaced by a mourn one. "Adventure until here was great…" He thought with the mind of someone who just learned they were going to die soon… Maybe it suited the situation.

"Wow, did Lucy learned you how to look miserable? Because you look just like it." A voice startled Lincoln, a voice which he had only heard when it threatened him.

He looked up to see the person who was the source of the voice and of his now depressive mood "Hi-Hi, Lynn…."

She stood there a moment, glaring at him, and finally, let a "Meh!" full of disdain and disinterest. Lynn proceeded to walk to her captain and asked her "So Lori what do I move first? The food? The powder? "

"You're not going to do anything tonight Lynn. In fact, you'll hang out in town."

"Oh, great! I was beginning to miss their beer! In this case, see ya !" Lynn turned back and began to walk away but stopped as a sudden reflection comes to her. "Wait a minute….". She faced Lori again from her position. She crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes and leaned her upper body. "What's the trap?" she asked in a suspicious way, knowing that there is always something up when Lori is nice to anyone.

Amused by the reaction of Lynn she decided to respond with a clear and strict voice "You'll have to bring Mister Loud, here, with you." Just to annoy more the girl.

"WAIT WHAT?! Why should this shrimp come with me ?!" Lynn asked with an obvious angry tone.

"Because I told you so. If you want to go somewhere you bring him, or else you stay here." Lori responded her, re-taking her serious self.

Lynn wanted just to give Lori a piece of her mind but if would prevent her of going anywhere for sure. She grumbled something and stomped her way towards the exit of the boat, and took Lincoln by the back of his collar. She continued her way to the streets by pulling him like this, with him who couldn't get up because of the constant dragging from Lynn.

Luna observed as they go, taking a place beside Lori. She said with a tearful-like tone "She's going to tear my pretty boy apart…"

Lori looked at her with an annoyed and flushed face "Stop calling him like that, it's embarrassing!"

Upper on the mast was sat a dark clothed figure who was watching as Lynn was dragging Lincoln until she released him, making him fall on his back; he then stood and tried to follow her as she was walking with her hands in her pockets and her shoulders up, showing that she was obviously upset.

"What a shame. I was beginning to like him." The figure said to herself with a monotonous tone, as her habit. But as she watched her fellows disappear in the first crowd, she didn't notice the strange mass that was beginning to appear on the water.

Further, another ship was beginning to make his arrival to the port of the small town. It was way bigger than the sloop of the Medusas but it had something in common with them: A black flag which was floating with the breezes of the night.

* * *

Lincoln was not so easily trying to catch up with Lynn while making sure to not bump into someone. During his struggling attempt to follow the artillery gal, Lincoln could sometimes take a glance at the surrounding of the town where he was in.

Every construction was in wood, the passersby seemed to be peaceful people. The road was enlightened by candles in iron poles. People who walked in the opposite direction of him were all avoiding Lynn who passed near them without even acknowledging them. As for the passersby, they all looked a bit intimidated like they could feel the frustration emanate from her.

She finally stopped in front of a bar, she took a big inspiration and suddenly pull Lincoln by the collar, placing him at her eye level.

"Listen clearly shrimp and I won't repeat myself: I don't care of you but I'm supposed to watch you so we're going to wait in this bar until I decide we go. Not before, not after, when I say so. Capiche?" Lincoln nodded rapidly, too intimidated to respond.

Lynn let him and walked in the bar. When he stood up, he realized something: Lincoln never took the time to notice but despite her scary behavior and monstrous strength she was way shorter than him, at least twenty cm of difference. Size is not everything.

He reluctantly walked in, pushing the double door. Inside, the ambiance calmer than he thought: some three men were drinking while they talked about their day, spilling some funny anecdotes making them laugh. In fact, minus him and Lynn who was at the counter, there was only those three old men and a strong barwoman who was pouring a drink in a mug, presumably for Lynn. She was a tall blonde with a green

She noticed the entrance of Lincoln "Hoi, hoi! Come on in young man, take a seat and tell me what would you like." The barwoman greatly beckoned Lincoln.

He smiled and walked to the counter where at first, he wanted to take a seat near Lynn but she shoots him a murderous glare. He decided to take place a seat further, leaving an empty place between them.

Turning to him, the woman asked "Should I serve you a beer too?"

"N-No thanks, I don't drink!"

"Eeh? A young man like you who doesn't drink?"

"Well in fact-"

He was interrupted when Lynn hit the counter with her palm, she took a mouthful of her beer before raising her hand. Under it was two pounds which were on the counter, in front of the woman.

"Don't mind what he says and give him one. He needs to grow a pair." Lynn ordered without looking at the woman.

The barwoman took another cup and filled it before placing him in front of Lincoln. She then took the tow pounds and put them under the counter. Lincoln looked at his drink in disbelief "Did she really pay me a cup of beer?" he thought.

"Uh, thanks but even if I wanted it I could have pai-"

"Shut up and drink."

Lincoln took his cup and brought it to his mouth and tasted the beverage. At first, it the foam was sour but the liquid was kind of sweet.

"See? Better when you shut it."

Lincoln frowned and thought "Why is she so rude? I know pirates are not always refined people but still…"while taking another sip.

"So, what's bringing you here?" The barwoman asked them.

"We're just stopping by with our crew." Lynn responded flatly.

"And what are your activities?"

"Transport of goods."

The woman chuckled and rolled her eyes with a smile. "The old Chelly always recognizes pirates when she sees one." She said with a casual tone.

Lincoln had stopped breathing and was thinking with panic "Oh gosh! She knows! What Lynn will do? Please don't go overboard!"

Lynn looked at the woman with an unimpressed look ."Good for you, granny." She just boringly responded. Making Lincoln sighed in relief.

In the background a red-nosed man from the table perked up at the mention of the word pirate, he narrowed his eyes and looked at the two young persons at the counter. His eyes widened and his face paled. "WHITE WHALE!" He suddenly shouted, startling the whole bar and spilling his drink on the floor.

Everyone looked at him and saw him pointing something. Following his finger, they all noticed that he was pointing Lincoln. Just to be sure Lincoln looked behind him and saw nothing.

"Who? Me?" Lincoln asked with confusion as he pointed at himself.

Chelly laughed at the reaction of her drunk client. "Adalbert, he is way too young to be this old dinosaur! That's only mean one thing: you've finished for tonight!" Once she calmed herself she saw the mess of the bloke. "Seriously? Boy! Come here, you have to clean the mess of the old Dalbert!"

"Coming, right away ma'am!" A voice resonated in the back of the bar.

"And you two! You get him home, now! You drank enough too!" She commanded to the companions of the shouter. They each took one of his arms and walked to the exit.

As Lincoln watched the two men go out while lifting the third he wondered loudly "What did he say? White Whale?"

He was really confused. He could understand the white but where does the whale come from? He must have been really tipsy if he mistook his lean shape for the one of a gigantic mammal like this.

"That's the name of a famous pirate. Despite the fact that he didn't really show up during those last years he is feared by some."

"Why is he called like this?"

"To know that I'll have to tell you the mystery of the estranged ships in the Indian Ocean." Lynn emptied her mug in one sip and placed herself so she was facing him. He did the same, keeping his cup in his hand.

"Around 40 years ago, there was a rumor about ships which mysteriously disappeared near Antarctica. It was principally merchants boats or even some from the French and even Royal navy. It was stated by some survivors that it was the fact of a giant man-eater whale. Big enough to destroy the biggest warships and to be mistaken for an iceberg."

Lincoln gulped and leaned, hinting that he wanted to hear more.

"It was declared that it was too dangerous to sail in this zone, but one day a boat of whalers lost themselves there. Unfortunately for them they were going to be the next meal of the monster, but one man took a small boat and paddled until he was far enough from the boat. The monster whale decided to attack him first since he was an isolated prey. When it showed his head to crush his rowing boat and guess what the guy did!"

"What did he do?" Lincoln asked with the same full interest of a child..

"He punched it, right in its big head! And guess what? He punched it so hard that he broke his cranium and it died instantly."

Surprise filled the face of the boy. "How is that even possible ?!"

She shrugged "I don't know either, but apparently the rest of the whalers spread the words to the point that it came to the ears of pirates who were interested in him. And he wasn't too hard to find him because his abnormal monstrous strength" She gestured the barwoman to refill her mug. "The monster whale was like a big block of ice so that's where he got the "white" and as for the "whale" it's from his achievement. He met a pirate who took him with them and this is where his legend began."

She drank a bit of her refilled beer. "But that's the problem with it: it's a legend, so we don't know if it's true or not. But if it is, I want to become as strong as him."

"I think you're already strong enough like that." Lincoln laughed awkwardly.

"Eh! What you saw this morning was only a tiny bit of what I can really do. So, you better prepare yourself if one day I have to beat you up." Lynn boasted before taking another mouthful.

"Why would you become so strong?"

Her face became gloomy, scaring a bit the boy. "It's to get rid a certain man…"

Lincoln only raised an eyebrow. He was going to ask more but he was interrupted by someone coming from behind the bar. It was a young black man.

"Took you long! Where were you?" Scolded the woman at her worker.

"Sorry, Ma'am Chelly! I was reading." He said, excusing himself.

She sighed in exasperation "Get to work and after that go home."

While he passed near them and began to clean with a napkin, Lincoln observed him

"Seriously, I don't know what you find so entertaining in those reports from the navy. I'm sure half of them are fakes!" Chelly complained.

"Maybe some events, but the persons in are real." The boy responded as he kept cleaning.

"If you want so much to be like them why don't you just go?!"

"I'm waiting the right moment."

The doors of the bar opened once again.

A man was standing in the way of the entrance of the bar with several others behind him. He was grinning like a madman but had a mean look in the eyes as he looked to the people in the bar. He wore a yellow bandana with red and white striped shirt. Along with the group behind him, except that they did not anything on their head.

He stepped in and walked to the counter to sit next to Lynn. His group followed and dispatched themselves to the others tables in the bar. The bar had six table, with three chairs for one table. Each table was full, meaning that they were eighteen minus the guy at the counter. But there was like five who didn't sit because of the lack of seats. The "cleaner" had to walk back to let some sit, bumping into some others.

"Twenty-four guys." Lynn thought while she gazed around the room, doing like she was drinking. As for Lincoln, he was feeling that the air became tense suddenly with the apparition of those worrying men.

"Hey, Ma'am! Do you think you could serve each one of my guys and myself?" The man asked putting his elbow on the counter and showing a white-yellow grin.

"Can you pay?" The old Chelly asked at this rude client (well, rude by her standards.)

"I think you didn't understand. I meant to serve us for free!" He told her, keeping the same expression.

"Everyone has to pay. You're not an exception, boy." She responded annoyed.

"Do you know in which crew I am, Granny? You should just obey instead of-"

"The lady said no, so fuck off."

He turned to Lynn who was looking at her mug with an impressed look. The man leaned closer to her.

"I think I didn't hear right. You insulted me?"

"Yeah, I did. So?"

He chuckled and after a moment he went into a full laughter, annoying Lynn, scaring Lincoln and the other boy but not doing that much effect on the barwoman.

He then suddenly pulled a knife from his back, ready to strike, but he didn't have the time to use as Lynn hit him with her mug directly in his face. The impact was so strong it made him fall from his seat, all covered in beer and leaving him with a broken nose from where blood began to flow.

Lynn looked at him, then at her hand and saw that it remained only the handle of her mug. She turned to the woman and said "Hum…Sorry, I didn't want to break it." With a deadpan but with also a noticeable amount of regret.

Lincoln and the black boy shared the same faces of shock, but Lincoln had extra sweat on his. The man stood up and was panting in rage.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY ME THAT! ALL ON HIM!" he shouted, bringing the attention of all the others guys on Lynn.

Lincoln was petrified as Lynn took her stool and used it to smash the first attackers. He suddenly fell like he was lifted, looking down he saw that a random man just grabbed him and was going to throw him out. Literally, throw him out of the bar.

He crossed the doors and landed on his back after making a roll. He was in the middle of the streets, with a pain in the back. He didn't have the time to stood up as someone else fell on him.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" He excused himself as Lincoln muttered a stifled "It's okay..." The unknown moved from Lincoln. He sat up and looked at the guy who was thrown out as well. It was the black man. He had curly black hair and was wearing glasses. He looked to be the same age as Lincoln. He wore grey pants with black shoes. As for his upper body, it was constituted of a yellow shirt with a dark blue sleeveless vest.

Now that he could look at him so closely, it reminded him of someone. Then it came to him, Lincoln's face switched into a perplexed expression but with a small smile.

"Clyde?"

"How do you my-" It was the turn of the other boy to look at Lincoln. The orange shirt, the freckles, the chipped tooth. No that's too similar! But he realized who it was by his trademark: the white hair.

"Lincoln?"

They stared at each other for a moment. Slowly on their face began to form big dumb smiles.

"AAAAAHAAHAAHA" They both shouted, startling the people around them. They extended their arms and joined together in an embrace.

"You bastard! This is where you've been hiding all this time?!" Lincoln asked all happy to his friend while holding tight in his arms.

"What about you? How did you deal to bring your butt here?!" Clyde retort with the same tone as his friend, trying as well to clutch Lincoln.

They separated and Lincoln began "You'll never believe me! I got recruited by a crew for a post as a cabin boy!"

"Good to hear that!" Clyde laughed, happy for his friend.

"What about you? What're you doing here?"

Clyde began his explanation with the same mood as Lincoln "Well, I stopped at Wood Coast because it's almost similar to Royal Woods. Except that no one knows me. But anyway, to put it bluntly, I'm working as a waiter in a bar and live on my own."

"Didn't you want to sail?" Lincoln asked him, perplexed.

He rubbed his head in embarrassment "I wanted, and I still want. The things is that without money I won't go anywhere, so, for now, I'm staying and working until-"

"The right moment?" Lincoln cut him while smirking.

Clyde snapped his finger in return "That's it."

Lincoln took a look at their current position and asked him "You got thrown out too?"

"Meh, it's okay I got the habit. In a bar, it's normal that some drunks want to fight each other." He took a glance at the shadow of men running and getting thrown where they came from. "But this time it seems more violent. I'm sorry to say that, but I don't think your friend will survive to this."

He waved him off "She's stronger than she looks." At the mention of the word "she", Clyde had big eyes behind his round glasses. "Yeah, that's a woman." Lincoln added with an amused tone.

They turned when they heard a man scream coming from the bar. Lincoln shuddered and turned back to Clyde. "So… What do you do when you have to leave early like this?"

"Well the time that I take a walk around the town, the fights always finished when I come back." He began to scratch his head awkwardly. "I could use some company this time. I mean, if you want to."

"Well, I promised her, to stay until she decides we leave…" Lincoln remembered the serious and menacing eyes of Lynn when she told him he had to do what she said. But at the same time, he had now his occasion to see the city. He perceived a sound of something crashing onto a table and finally made his mind. "But the time she finishes maybe we'll get back."

Clyde brightened and stood up "Great. In this case follow me, friend." He offered his hand to Lincoln to help him stand up

Lincoln gladly took it. The moment he felt his palm on his own, he remembered those moments when they were bullied because of their differences. Lincoln for its hair and Clyde for his skin color. But each time at the end, they helped each other to rise and shine again. Just to be beaten up one more time, but not caring a bit.

Clyde began to walk and Lincoln followed him, eager to discover the town in the company of his old friend.

Well maybe not at this point, because they have been walking for two minutes in silence. Lincoln was fed up with this embarrassing silence, so he decided to break it.

"So, if I heard right, you're still reading reports?" He asked, remembering the scene when he came to the bar.

"Ye-Yeah. But now, it sounds stupid even if I like to read them."

"Why's that?"

"Well, the way I see it the navy always seems to live adventures. And I want, one day to live my own, you know?"

"I don't see nothing wrong with that."

"Okay. Then the thing is that… People keep saying that's it's impossible for me."

"Because, everyone thinks that a black orphan could never be free to do what he wants, even if I don't have any master."

Lincoln had heard this speech every time he was with Clyde and he was talking about his dreams. It hurt him when people said that to him, but it was because he was weak. But for Clyde, it was only because of his origins, and that hurt Clyde really bad every time someone said it. Lincoln always tried to reassure him, and when he could brighten up Clyde, he always had this fear that he might think that their right.

Hearing this one more time, made Lincoln mad "Frankly Clyde, I think they're dumb!" he snapped, startling Clyde.

He turned to him "To where we come from, everyone thought I would just take the place of my father at the familial shop while all I wanted was to sail." Clyde nodded, remembering clearly of all of that. "After you left, I was on my own with the same dream. And I was beginning to lose hope until I found my opportunity: A crew was looking for a cabin boy. And they took me in! And now I still can't believe I just leave my town to make my dream come true." He took Clyde by the shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes. "What I'm trying to say is, you don't have to listen to what people say. You want to participate in a treasure hunt with crazy pirate women? Go for it!" At the last part he shook Clyde, just like Luna did for him.

Clyde asked with an amused tone "What?"

When he heard the voice of Clyde, Lincoln calmed himself and he realized the situation he was in. "And now I'm talking too much." He then laughed awkwardly while releasing Clyde and taking two steps back.

Clyde rubbed his right shoulder and said with a smile "Thank you, I really needed that."

Lincoln regained his normal composure and gained a smile as well "No problem. And I also have a confession to make: I'm still reading reports too." He admitted.

"Well, we're not best friend for nothing!."

"Yep."

Clyde locked his arm behind the neck of Lincoln and pulled him closer. "While we keep walking, how about you tell me more about those "crazy pirate women"?"

Meanwhile at the bar.

"Woo! That was the last one." Lynn said as she took a new seat at the counter, with in front of her the result of the fight she just had.

Twenty men were lying in a different corner of the bar. On her right, she had piled up three of them. On her left, half a dozen were unconscious on the tables, seats and the wood floor she had broken with the head of one of them. In front of the entrance, three were beaten up with chairs, five others as well but with what remained from the said chairs. She was currently using one as her footrest as she glanced behind the counter to see the two lasts with small sharps of bottles in their backs and strong odor of liquor meaning from them.

"So "Pretty boy" She said with a mocking tone as she swiped her forehead "how was this?" She looked at her right to see nothing but a place where was supposed to be a stool empty. She looked all around in the bar, looking for the white-haired wimp until a voice came up from the storage.

"Your guy got thrown out by one of these gentlemen during the fight." It was the barwoman. She lifted the guys behind the counter and thrown them on the other side.

Lynn had a panicked look and asked her "Why didn't you tell me?"

Chelly just shrugged "You seemed to have fun."

"I lost too much time here. I must go and found him now." Lynn ran to the entrance, avoiding all the men on the way.

Chelly stopped her by calling her. "And who's going to pay for all of that?" obviously mentioning the now war-field that was her bar.

She stopped and pointed the unconscious men "You can ask these guys. If they wake up one day." And she ran out toward in a random direction hoping to find him.

As she was leaving the yellow bandana guy came back to the bar. He had the nose broken and a black eye, he was followed by three of his companions in the same state. But they were also in accompanied by a tall shadow. It revealed to be a man with a dark blue coat and a white scarf which was stained at the tip. He asked "You think this guy is still here?"

"Yeah Cap! He insulted us and then attacked us like a madman!"

The man walked to a pole near the bar. He looked at it, before raising a strange sword and cut it in a diagonal way. He kicked the cut pole and it crashed at the entrance of the bar. The candle in it began to light up the alcohol on the ground of the bar. And it began, the entrance was blocked by the new fire.

"That should take care of him." He turned to his men, his shadow seemed way more intimidating thanks to the flames behind him.

He looked like something that came directly from hell.

He displayed a big toothy smile, with all of his white teeth in vision "While we're here, why not making some shopping?"

The night of terror began on Wood Coast at this moment.

* * *

 **While we're here I want to say other things, like why the fights look like those in One piece.**

 **It wasn't my attention: I just wanted my fights to be more epic while keeping in mind that it's based on a cartoon and keeping some reality in. Without asking you too much to not mind it.**

 **As for the next chapter, it might come out this month as well, because soon it's the holidays so I'll have more time to write.**

 **XOXO**


	6. Escaping the burning town

**If this chapter come this late it's because I had trouble to upload new file to the website. So, sorry?**

* * *

During their little walk, Lincoln hat told Clyde everything that has happened to him during the last two days. Including the threatening-life situation he faced with Lynn. But including the moments he spent with Lana, Luan and Luna.

"They seem to be funny!"

"I don't know yet if they are, but I'm sure of one thing: they're pretty terrifying."

"Yeah, especially that Lynn girl." He grinned "Man, she tried to kill you twice and your captain sent her with you!" And began to laugh, realizing the situation of his friend.

Obviously annoyed, Lincoln retorted "You can laugh, but when this will happen to you, I'll laugh as well."

"Fat chance! I don't think there is many crew like that, even less composed entirely of women." Clyde answered, keeping the grin. He then softened it and followed "And even if, I don't think they would take me: I'm too weak and not ready to be a pirate."

"You think I was?" His friend asked while nudging him.

"Lincoln Loud the pirate! I would never though that one day you decide to be an outlaw instead of engaging yourself in the Royal Navy like planned."

Lincoln pondered the words of Clyde before shrugging "Fate has chosen that for me. But it's only for a matter of time."

They kept walking in silence, enjoying the calm sounds of people walking and talking before heading in. Clyde asked "You already though of what you'll do after?" Gaining an eyebrow raise from Lincoln. Understanding the reaction of his friend he followed. "I mean you can't stay a pirate seeing that they only need you for one trip and it's not like you want to be one."

This question took him by surprise. But if he had to be honest, no he didn't think of what will happen after. Even if he did nothing illegal, he couldn't just go back to his old life after living with pirates. He wasn't prepared to something like this. And on top of that, another thought came just at his moment. He felt all of his previous enjoyment fades away. "You're right. And besides, I only realize it now but I left without telling my parents."

"Not your best plan, bud." Clyde added, tactlessly. Lincoln didn't notice the tone, only the response.

"Yeah, I'm really an ungrateful brat: I have an argument with my father and the next day I'm on the sea with a bunch of pirates." He followed with venom in his voice addressed to himself. "Talking about being responsible. I'm sure they must hate me now…" Lincoln ended with sadness. He felt something on his neck, and before he could notice, Clyde locked his arm behind his neck and drew him closer.

"Brighten up! If this treasure hunt is successful, you'll have something to bring home and maybe they'll forgive you." He said with a big smile.

"You think so?"

"Lincoln, I know your parents, and they are the most loveable and forgiving persons I've ever seen. I'm sure they will forgive you. And you know what? I'm sure they will even if you don't bring anything." "I wish I had some like that…" This time, Lincoln Locked his arm around Clyde.

"Don't say that Clyde. You don't have to be sad about something like this, because for me you're like a brother. And no matter what happens, nothing will ever change that!"

"Thanks, Bro."

As they looked at each other while walking, they bumped into someone who was standing in the middle of the road, releasing each other at the shock. When their eyes set on the person they were impressed by their size: they were over 2 meters and they had a rectangular long shape.

The unknow turned and revealed to be a man "Ah sorry I didn't mean to be on your way, it' just that I'm lost." He excused himself while showing a little note to the boys. "I'm looking for the port but I found a way to lost myself in this small town."

Clyde looked at the note, without catching a glance at the man. "Oh, that's normal sir. Your indications aren't correct." When Clyde said that he turned and showed the road to the man by making some hands gesture while explaining the way. But while he was doing this, Lincoln was staring wide eyed and mouth agape at the lost man in front of him.

He wore a dark blue frock coat with white buttons. He was also wearing red gloves and a golden belt. But the features that struck Lincoln was the face of the man. He had an olive skin with dark curly hair, and a wrinkle at each cheek. Over his upper lips was a thin handlebar mustache separated at the middle and he was wearing a black leather eyepatch on the left eye.

"…And after that, you'll arrive to a wooden part that marks the entrance of the port. You can't miss it." Clyde told the unknown, finishing his explications about the road to take but Lincoln took him by the shoulders and violently turned him to face the lost man "Wow! What's happe-" Clyde said before cutting himself by looking at the man. He gazed at him for two seconds before his face suddenly matched Lincoln's.

"So, if go this direction I'll just have to take right?" The long man repeated to Clyde…no responses. When he looked down, he saw the faces of the two young men. He called them, with a concerning voice "Hello?" He snapped his fingers before them.

"CAPTAIN JACK!" They both shouted, startling the poor man and making him retract his arms.

"Yes, that's…me." The man slowly responded

By instinct of respect (and fanboying) for one of their idol they both adopted a salute pose "WE'RE SO SORRY SIR WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU!"

Seeing that everyone was beginning to look at them, the face of the Captain flushed and he exclaimed with embarrassment "Hey! Hey! It's okay! You don't have to take it like that!" He put back his hands before them, gesturing them to stop. "At ease!"

They both stopped their martial salute and stood straight. The Navy Captain calmed and asked them "Are you two soldiers of the Royal Navy?" Surprised by their zeal at showing respect to someone.

"No sir. But we know you thanks to the reports!" Clyde and Lincoln answered at the same time.

"Oh yes, the reports…" He trailed off with a hint of annoyance, but he scoffed it and take back his normal tone. "Well anyway thank you gentlemen to have helped me. May I know your names?"

"Clyde, sir!"

"Lincoln Loud, sir!"

"Well Mr. Loud, Mr. Clyde, thanks again for your help. And if one day our path meet again I know I'll owe you."

"You're welcome, sir!"

"I just gave the direction to the right hand of the admiral of the Royal Navy!" Clyde squealed while shaking the right shoulder of Lincoln.

"What a great day to be alive." Lincoln replied with bliss.

They stood there a moment, watching the soldier disappear until Lincoln realized something. "Wait a minute… What a high graded like him could be doing here?"

Clyde though about what his friend just said. He shrugged "He must be in a secret mission."

Lincoln saw something on the ground, where the Captain stood a moment ago "What's that?" He picked it and looked at it. "He must have drop it."

"Hey, that's a wanted notice." Clyde remarked as he was also looking at the paper in the hands of Lincoln. His eyes widened at one of the information "Whaaa! 2000 pounds! What did he do exactly?"

"It's written right here: War crimes, murder of officers, treason and… piracy."

"He seems dangerous." Clyde stated, while looking at the picture of the said man.

"You don't say." Lincoln replied, looking at the face on the paper and reading his name.

A woman shouted from afar, the boy looked up. When they saw from where the shout came from, their blood turned cold. Their eyes grew bigger, showing an expression of fear at the sight from the street.

Buildings were in fire, the inhabitants were fleeing it. But some of them were trying to escape something else. Coming from the blaze, was another group of people running.

"What happened?" Clyde asked to himself with worry as he watched the town beginning to be eaten by the flames.

A man called in the running crowd "IT'S A GROUP OF PIRATES! FLEE!"

"What?!" The two young men exclaimed, then they watched a second time the source of the blaze.

At this instant a shadow emerged from the lighted street and behind it a bigger one. Then the first shadow revealed to be man leading the second shadow, which was in fact another group of people coming out of the burning street. But this time the people in this group weren't terrified as the other because they weren't running the same way someone is fleeing, but as the way someone is chasing another person. When they showed up they were all dressed the same way as the people in the bar earlier.

Seeing the hell coming for them, Clyde proposed "Maybe we should run?"

"I agree to that." Lincoln responded. And they began to run as fast as they can in the street.

* * *

In another part of the town, Lynn was still trying to find her wimpy cabin boy but she had been surprised by the fire. Explaining why she was now out of the town. "Damnit! Everything went on fire so quickly! How so!?" Lynn grumbled in anger.

She kept running until she found an old boat warehouse, Lynn instantly recognized it and ran in it. Once she opened the door, the interior was divided in two parts. The first part was a platform separated in two at the middle, a canal where was the boat, ready to set sail. The second part was a second platform, a second floor, with barrier, allowing the supervision of the maintenance of the boat in the canal.

At the sight of the boat in the canal, she though with relief "The Liberty!" She noticed Lori onboard and ran to her. Once she was close enough she called her "Girls! We have a problem!"

Lori lowered her head toward the source of the shout, seeing Lynn she took a surprised expression "Oh, you're back. And right in time for once! What's the deal, Lynn?"

"The town just been set on fire! It came from nowhere!" Lynn told her Captain.

The expression of Lori morphed into an upset one "Dang! Okay you and Lincoln come aboard! We're going right now!" She ordered, looking back at Lynn. She then noticed that someone is missing "Where's Lincoln?"

"That's the thing. I lost him."

"YOU WHAT?!" A voice screamed behind Lori. After that Luna rushed to the side of Lori to look at Lynn. Lori pushed the head of Luna, preventing her of jumping on Lynn from the ship.

"You calm down! And you Lynn, I told you to watch him!" She scolded while pointing her index at Lynn with her free hand.

"I know what you said!" Lynn replied in annoyance. "Look! I'll come back here with him in ten minutes! If we're not here by then, you guys go wait for us on the coast near the forest!"

Lori stared at Lynn, then turned toward Luna and ordered her something. It must have an order to get ready because she left after Lori talked to her. Lori turned back at Lynn "You'd better hurry then!"

She nodded and exited the warehouse to run to the town. Once she was going to enter in she though "You'd better still be in one piece so I can kill you myself!" and ran into the street, hoping to quickly find the cabin boy.

* * *

"You have any plans for us, bro?" Clyde asked while running.

"I'm thinking of it."

They heard a gunshot and a whistling bullet passed between them.

"THINK FASTER!" Clyde screamed to his friend with clear panic.

"I CAN'T THINK FASTER!" He shouted in response, with fear as well. Lincoln suddenly perked up "Oh wait! No don't! Keep running and listen!" Clyde slightly turned his head toward Lincoln while running, hinting that he was listening. "The Captain said that they hide their boat elsewhere than in the port! So, if we find it we can escape!"

"Great idea! And where is it?" Clyde brighten up, with hope in his eyes.

"I don't have the slightest idea." Lincoln answered.

"That seemed like a great idea…" Clyde sadly stated like he was going to cry.

Lincoln's eyes widened. "WHOA! LOOK!" he screamed, looking in front of him and Clyde did the same.

When both looked, on their way stood a big building. It was at the end of the street and there was no way of bypass it. But around it, the fire began to reach its sides and eat the exterior of the building.

"That's the sawmill! There is only one entrance!" Clyde's fear grew. "We're blocked! It's a cul-de-sac!"

Lincoln quickly analyzed their situation: Behind them a group of bloodthirsty pirates, ready to skin them and take everything they have. On their left, small houses and stores devoured by the blaze, no chances for them to pass through them without being transformed into grilled fishes. In front of them a bigger building, blocking the way and beginning to be destroyed by the flames. In the last one he saw a way to save them without too much damages: if the building had an entrance it should have an exit, right?

"Clyde! We're going through!" Lincoln ordered with a commanding tone.

Clyde looked at him in worry and shock "What!? Don't you see the fire around it!?"

Lincoln looked back at him with a pleading face "Trust me!"

Still hesitating, Clyde glanced behind them and saw the group getting closer. He shook his head and began to run faster towards the building. Watching the efforts of his friend, Lincoln increase his pace as well.

They both pushed one of the two big front doors, just enough to create a space for them to slip in. Once they entered, Clyde indicated a cut piece of wood to block the door. They moved it to the door and both examined the interior.

Four chains retained a gigantic log wood, that was 10 meters long, were hanging on the ceiling. On the wall were crank handles. A stage was at the end of the building with stairs on each side, it was against the last wall which had two windows, lightening with a bright red the inside of the sawmill.

"How do we move this log?!"

"By throwing off the handles!"

Lincoln looked a last time at the log and the two chains that retained it at the front, he glanced again at the door behind them. He looked at Clyde who immediately understood that Lincoln had a plan. Clyde watched as Lincoln rushed to the left handle, and he mimicked his friend go running to the right one.

While they ran, they heard the door being hit on the other side, making the block slide a bit.

"At my go… NOW!" Lincoln screamed, and both pulled their handle at the same time. The two first chains released the log, making it fall but still retained by the two remaining chains. The log violently moved back and forth with all of his mass.

"There is a lever to move it!" Clyde called, pointing at a lever in front of the stage.

Lincoln quickly leaded to the lever, but stop midway to avoid being hit by the moving log. When it passed its way, he went to the lever with Clyde. They gripped the lever and pushed it.

"Forward!" Clyde shouted and the chains moved the log forward, almost making it touch the door.

"Backward!" He shouted again, as they pulled the lever making the log moving back.

They kept up like this until the gigantic piece of wood, moved back and forth on its own. Clyde and Lincoln parted away to reach the second handles. A sword passed through the door and the hits began to be more violent.

Lincoln waited for the log to be back, and once it began to go forward he shouted to Clyde.

"Now!" And they both pushed the handles, making the last chains released the log, making it fly with force toward the door.

The log crushed against the door, breaking it and dragging the remaining to fall under the weight of the massive wood. Shouts were heard outside, coming from the collapsed door and the heavy crushed log.

"That should take care of them." Lincoln proudly said while he rubbed his hand together.

Clyde nodded in approval. They stared at the debris of the door. "And now?" Clyde asked.

Lincoln's expression changed, into a stressed and regretful one. The door has collapsed, and that's only now he noticed that the fire entered in the sawmill and began to light the walls and the ceiling. He turned to face the stage and saw their way out.

"The windows!"

He ran to the stairs at the left and Clyde did the same with the stairs at the right. The boys covered their head with their arms, and they both jumped and crashed through the windows.

Clyde crashed into another house that was on his way, meanwhile Lincoln landed by making a roll in the streets and finally stopped with a faceplant. He put his hands on the ground and lifted his head, to look where he landed.

Lincoln saw on the floor around him some glass sharps from the window. He looked for Clyde, but saw no one. This part of the town was also beginning to burn but most of the buildings were intact and must have been evacuated, because the streets were empty.

Except for someone coming from the intact part of the streets. Lincoln narrowed his eyes and saw that this person had a ponytail and a coat.

"Lynn?" He asked to himself while he was still examining the unknow. But as the someone walked closer, thanks to the light of the fire behind him he saw that it wasn't the face of Lynn. But it was also a face he knew.

His blood turned cold, his face turned as white as his hair, his eyes widened, his mouth hung open. His shock and fear appeared quickly.

"What do we have there?" The stranger asked, with a deep voice a grinning white smile. He walked closer to Lincoln and now his appearance was enlightened like a pure devil by the fire that began to spread around them.

The stranger wore a blue marine coat and a stained white scarf. He had a long nose, brown hair with bangs and a ponytail.

Lincoln stared at the man, recalling all the information he learned earlier "War crimes…murder of officers… treason… piracy." He made a big gulp "A bounty of 2000 pounds… Edward Ned Low, the bloodthirsty."

"You must be one of the survivors from the first part of the town, uh?" Edward asked Lincoln as he kneeled down. "I asked my men to kill everyone but it seems that you were smarter than them." He sighed, showing his canines "When you want a job to be done, you have to do it yourself."

Lincoln, scared, fell on his bottom and grabbed his hook by reflex. Low stared at Lincoln, then broke into a laughter, scaring even more, plus, confusing Lincoln. When he finished he reached to his left and pulled out a sword. But the form of its blade was unusual: On the blade, it was sharply teethed on one side and straight on the other.

Low made a swift slice, cutting the hook of Lincoln in the process. The metal piece flew away. Lincoln then stared at his formerly called homemade hook.

Lincoln was suddenly and violently grabbed by his arms by two men. Lincoln didn't notice them, so much he was shocked and in fear because of the apparition of Low. "What do we do with him, Cap?'

The Bloodthirsty pondered before happily exclaiming "Oh! I know! Remember this flower shop? Put him in with the family!"

The group roared in joy, scaring even more the defenseless Lincoln who began to be dragged to the streets. They brought near the forest, in front of a two stories flower shop. On the front of the flower, a big sign above the entrance door which said "Ambre's flowers and family" cut in a wood board. The front of the shop showed many kind of florals decorations, of al sorts of colors and forms.

The men put Lincoln on his knees and bound his hands, then Low got closer to him and took his head with one hand to make Lincoln face him. "I'm going to introduce you to this little florist family so be polite." Low coldly said, keeping his creepy grin.

"Hello people! I brought a guest to the party!" Low said as he kicked the door, Lincoln shock grew when he set his eyes in the flower shop.

On one side of the interior was hand-bounded and mouth-bounded a dark brown-haired man and a blonde woman. They both wore green clothes, a dress for the woman and a shirt for the man. On the other side of store, in the same state and separated from her parents, a little blonde girl with a lavender dress.

On the parents faces, fear was obviously present, even more when Low showed up with Lincoln. The father had a black eye and a bleeding cut on the right cheek, he surely got them when he tried to protect his family. The child, had stained cheeks, surely because of crying but she kept whimpering.

"You're going to be nice here, White Head!" Low dropped Lincoln on a corner, in a way he could see the all family. Low turned to the father. "Normally I don't do this but because you have a cute family sir I will bombard this shop before fire arrives."

"Ow, don't thank me!"

Lincoln sat back, but felt something on his back. He searched and found out it was his formed hook. He grabbed it and tried to cut his binds with what remained of it. "D-Don't worry! I'm trying to cut my bind!"

Lincoln felt his ropes loosen up, he tried to separate his hands and broke what remained of the bind.

"Yes! I'm coming to hel-" A loud sound resonated from outside and a cannonball passed through the wall, just above Lincoln and crossed the shop, breaking the pillar where the parents were bounded. The pillar broke in two. Nothing happened.

Until the ceiling began to crack and, it happened. The second floor, collapsed on the parents. The child screamed at the sight of her parents disappearing under the debris and Lincoln watched, unable to do anything.

Outside, the Captain and his crew were cheering the destruction of the shop. But another man came from behind the group and called. "Captain! We have a problem! One Eye Jack is in the town!"

"Crap! Okay boys! We're packing up!" Low shouted at his guys, who pushed the canon and ran in the forest.

Meanwhile, Lincoln rushed to the debris and pushed everything on his way, hoping to find the parents safe. How wrong he was.

When he finally pushed the last piece of wood, what he saw made him stop breathing. The woman's forehead was bleeding as well as the man's. They both opened their eyes, they grunted.

The man coughed blood before addressing his wife. "Alice… You're okay?"

"I can't feel my legs…" Alice painfully responded.

"Me neither." The man retorted.

Suddenly the woman began to lightly jerk. "Where's Lily? Where's my baby? Is she fine?" She asked in a pleading tone.

"She- she's right here, ma'am! She's okay!" Lincoln bashfully responded, trying to calm the mother.

"Thanks god." She sighed in relief.

"Can you move?" Lincoln asked the two adults.

"Like I said earlier kid, I don't feel my legs… And it's too heavy to lift it." The father said, mentioning the debris of the pillar and the ceiling.

"I can't let you here! I-I know! Wait for me I'll come with someone to help y-" The boy panicly said to the victims before being cut off.

"No! Listen kiddo, there is no one else left. And the time you find someone, the fire will already be here." Jhonas closed his eyes, and opened them again with a determinate face "But there is one thing you can do for us…"

The wife called her husband. "Jhona?"

"You're thinking of it too?" He responded to his other half.

"I-I don't know… How can we be sure to trust him for this?" She asked.

"He could have run when he heard those pirates go…Instead he stayed here to help us…"He recalled his wife of the attention of Lincoln. He painfully sighed "It's surely not much… But it's her only option."

Alice hesitated before finally replying with a sad "Fine."

"Kid." The man called Lincoln, who turned his head towards the dying man "We want you to do something for us. Take the child with you." He solemnly ordered.

"Wh- No don't say that! You're going to live! You're going to-"

"It's the only solution!" The man almost shouted. He calmed himself. "We know it's something really important we're asking you. But please."

"I…I…" Lincoln didn't know what to do. He couldn't let them here and take care of their child. But on the on the other hand he can't help them and he doesn't want to live knowing he could have granted a family last wish. He finally responded, with sadness "I'll do it."

The man smiled, and the woman as well. She asked him "What's your name?"

"Lincoln Loud, ma'am." Lincoln said as he began to whimper.

"Well, Lincoln…" She tiredly said, as the cries of Lincoln became louder. "Please take care of our little girl for us…" She closed her eyes and kept smiling. "Please…"

"One last thing Lincoln." The man grunted with a smile and tears in his eyes as well "Protect her from pirates, please." He asked him before falling asleep in the eternal slumber.

Lincoln stood here looking at the two peaceful looking parents. He finally broke and cried, with big tears, gritting teeth and a beginning of snot. He looked up, and in his watering eyes he saw the roof began to burn.

He wiped his eyes with his arm and went to reach the child. She perked up when she saw Lincoln going out of the debris. "How is mommy?! How is daddy?! Are they fine?!" She asked almost crying, but stopped talking when she saw the face of Lincoln. At the pain in the face of Lincoln, she's understanding the situation but deny it. Her eyes began to water once again. "No-No… Please! Tell me they're fine!"

"They… They are gone… I'm so sorry Lily…" Lincoln regretfully excused himself, but he perked up with determination "But… You have… You have to be strong for them." A board fell from the roof, near him. "I'm sorry Lily, but we don't have time!" He untied the child, when the ropes fell, she stood here whimpering. Lincoln didn't know what to do, but seeing the circumstances he tried to resonate her. "Lily… We must go, before the fire burn the entire house." He opened his arms toward her. She stared at his arms with watering eyes, before looking at his face. Full of sorrow and regrets, ready to break anytime but keeping his calm for her sake and her parent's.

Lily cleaned her eyes, jumped in his arms and clung to him. He put his left arm under her legs and his right hand on her head to protect her from the fire. Lincoln then rushed to the door, and broke it with his right shoulder.

He didn't predict that two guys stood in front of the burning former flower shop.

"Do ya think the Captain left us?" The first said to the other while they were both looking at the street.

"Nah. Never the captain would do something like this!"

"Then where are they?"

"I don't f-" One of the man turned toward Lincoln. "Hey what's that? The captain said no one left!" He pulled out a knife.

"Well it seems that they forgot them!" The second pulled out a sword.

"I don't have time for this!" Lincoln muttered as his assailant came closer.

"WATCH OUT!" A third voice emanated. Suddenly two hands brought the head of the men toward each other, making them smack together and passing out because of the shock. The hands revealed to be Lynn's.

"Lynn!" Lincoln happily exclaimed while Lily was afraid of this new person coming from nowhere.

"You!" Lynn instantly and angrily pointed Lincoln.

"Ah, right…" Muttered Lincoln, now remembering that he disobeyed Lynn and left her in the bar.

She stomped her way towards him while angrily screaming "Have you any idea how much I am in trouble now because of you?!" She stopped and took a confused expression when she saw the arms of Lincoln "Hey! Why do you have a child with you?!"

"Long story. You know where is the ship, right?"

"Yeah. Right now, they're near the forest an we should hurry." She said mentioning the fire which was beginning to destroy what remained of the town. "But don't think I have finished with you!"

Both began to run toward the forest, with Lynn still wondering why Lincoln has a child with him, Lincoln asking himself how he will explain the presence of Lily with him and Lily thought with fear as the place where Lincoln would bring her.

They reached a cliff at the end of the forest, below it on the water was a ship with a black flag. Lynn recognized it as the ship of her crew, the Liberty.

"We don't have time to waste, so we're going to jump." Lynn run-up and rushed to the edge of the cliff, then jump toward the ship. She landed on a sail and slide on it, before landing onboard.

"You can do it. It's safe!" She called them from the boat.

Lincoln and Lily looked at her with clear disbelief. But knowing he didn't had that many options, Lincoln took some distance. "Hold firmly on me." He told the child in his arms. He then run as fast as he could and jump at the edge of the cliff.

His heartbeat accelerated as he felt no ground under his feet and the air rushing in his face. He tightened his grip on Lily to make sure she doesn't fall, as the little girl do the same by gripping hard with both hands the shirt of Lincoln.

Mid-air, Lincoln turned backward and his back fell on the same sail as Lynn. He slid until he wasn't on the sail anymore and was grabbed by Lynn.

"Thank you." He muttered with a smile.

"I didn't want the girl to get hurt." She plainly responded.

A door behind them opened, revealing to be Lucy. "Oh! they you are. We were beginning to worry." She emotionlessly said.

Lynn dropped Lincoln and turned toward her, then said with a sour tone. "Glad to know you were crying for me."

Lincoln looked at Lily in his arms, she was looking with worry at Lucy. She occasionally glanced at the rest of the boat, still keeping her natural worry about the situation.

"Hey" Lily raised her head to look at Lincoln, who had a soft smile. "Everything will be fine. You're safe now."

The remaining of the crew finally went out from the door and gather around Lynn and Lincoln to make sure they were well. Luna and Lana rushed to Lincoln, asking him if he was really fine and if he didn't count the bruises in his back because of the many falls, he was healthy.

"So, I assume you are the new male companion which Luna and Lori told me about?" A little voice asked from behind Lincoln. When he turned he saw a child who looked to be nine years old looking at him with big rounded glasses. She wore a long sleeve green shirt with a brown closed vest on it.

"And you must surely be Lisa?"

"I see that they were right about telling that you were smarter than you looked." Lisa said as she readjusted her glasses, gaining a raised eyebrow from Lincoln. "Yes, I'm Lisa the navigator of this crew. And may I ask you, who is this?" She pointed at the scared Lily in his arms.

Everyone, minus Lynn, looked at the boy and the child with interested and questioning look.

"Care to explain, Mr. Loud?" Lori inquisitively asked, making the child cling more to Lincoln.

Lincoln sighed "Okay. Here's the story…"

* * *

 **Here's the first apparition of another pirate. The first bad guy and he already did something big. He doesn't waste time.**

 **Leave critic or a review if that pleased you and hope you had a super Christmas!**


	7. After the storm, come the tears

**A chapter to ease** on **the previous pressure. Because I need it and** i'm **sure you do as well.**

* * *

"Finally here!" Exclaimed the tired captain of the military ship as he stretched out his arms. His vessel accosted to the port of the little-wooded town, Wood Coast.

While a part of his military crew was making the decks in order, and another part was on shore, he was currently watching the sea where he came from, recalling his tiring day.

He received this morning the order from the naval base to patrol near there because of a surprising raise of the criminal activities, on sea and on land. Speaking of criminal, the attack of this morning really did get on his nerves. Meeting a group of pirates just after waking up wasn't something he was really fond of. "Not only they sacked us, but in top of that they made fun of me and my men." The lieutenant annoyingly thought out loud "A singing shooter, a jokester, a creepy lass, a brute and a swordswoman."

He was really stuck with this last one: A pirate woman with a rapier and who know how to correctly use it. Not only that but now that he was recalling those details, her face seemed familiar to him in a way. Where did he saw her? No idea, and that added another problem in his mind.

He slouched on the edge of the boat and supported his head with his left arm. "They were also three others. Two children and a white-haired man. They have children in their crew, those bastards." He kept thinking "But this guy, he seemed lost in all of this. Maybe they just captured him and forced him to enter in the piracy."

He brushed his right hand go his head where a lump was present earlier. The lump disappeared but the pain stayed when he touched it. "Hope I never see one of them again!" he hissed through his clenched teeth.

"Lieutenant Smith!" A soldier called as he ran back onboard of the navy vessel.

"What's happening soldier? " The Lieutenant asked his man without turning back.

"Sir! The town is on fire and according to the inhabitants it's the wrongdoing of pirates!"

At those words the Lieutenant perked up and looked at the town. If the port was safe from any form of blaze, the horizon showed a yellow glow coming from the town. He was so absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't notice it.

"SOLDIERS! STOP IMMEDIATELY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GO IN THE TOWN!" Smith ordered to all the men present on the deck. "HELP THE INHABITANTS AND FIND THE CRIMINALS RESPONSIBLE!" He added. The lieutenant grabbed his sword and quickly descended to the port with his men following him.

When he reached the entrance of the town he turned back to his men. He pointed a group of ten on his right "YOU ALL ARE GOING TO THE NORTH PART OF TOWN AND LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP!" They immediately obeyed and directed to the town. He pointed then ten to his left "YOU'RE DOING THE SAME FOR THE SOUTH!" The group did the same as the former. He addressed to the last soldiers "AND FOR THE REST YOU'RE GOING WITH ME IN THE TOWN CENTER! THE PIRATES MUST SURELY BE THERE!"

"That won't be necessary, Lieutenant."

Smith turned towards the entrance and saw a tall man walking to his group. What surprised even more the lieutenant, aside from the stature of the man, was that the walker was dragging five peoples who were tied.

"I captured some, but their captain escaped without I could do anything to stop them." Said the man as he walked closer, revealing his identity to Smith.

"Captain Jack!" Smith exclaimed seeing one of his superior. He immediately saluted him, annoying the high-graded.

"It's not the time for that! Tell your men to go help as many people as possible!"

"YOU HEARD THE CAPTAIN!" Smith told his men before seeing them go in the tower, a hand went on the shoulder of the Lieutenant, it was the one of the Captain "What is it, sir?"

"I will need to talk to you, Lieutenant. Once we fix all of this mess." Jack told Smith with a pain in the voice, not unnoticed by the Lieutenant.

Two hours later

The town had been ravaged by the flames, but the soldiers came in time to at least save the north part of the town and stop the fire before it reached the forest. The Lieutenant had sent the available groups to secure the inhabitants and give them some medical care with the ship's doctor.

Smith and Jack were on the boarded part of the port. After a long struggle, the situation had calmed down. But the inhabitants weren't out of danger yet. Smith was sat on a box while the Captain still up, lighting a cigarette.

Uncomfortable because of the unexpected presence of, Smith broke the silence "Sir, forgive me if I'm tactless but…" He excused himself before just bluntly ask. "What are you doing here?"

Jack took a drag, exhale and answered "I understand your incomprehension, but I'll tell you about it later. Right now, we have to deal with those gentlemen." Jack told him, pointing at the pirates he had made prisoner earlier. They were on the ground of the pontoon, still bounded with ropes.

Smith stood up and walked to them. He glared at them, before fiercely asking "You're the ones responsible for this, scums?!"

His tentative of fear worked, as one of the men answered back with panic "It was the idea of our captain!"

"Shut it!" An older buccaneer ordered to his fellow.

"Who is your captain?!" Smith asked, with the same hostility as before.

"Edward Ned Low." Jack said instead of the pirates, knowing that the Lieutenant wasn't going to have any answer from them.

Smith turned to him with a raised eyebrow. Jack took the ancient seat of the Lieutenant and followed "He was one of us but he turned into a pirate some months ago. And he is the reason why I'm here Lieutenant." He took a drag and exhaled white smoke. He then began to shuffle in his pockets "I have a wanted notice right he-" He stopped when he felt nothing. He opened his pocket and took a glance at it, to find it empty. "I think I lost it in the confusion." He just said, then he kept smoking his cigarette.

"The base never told us you were here." The lieutenant told his superior.

"Because they're not supposed to know."

The face of Smith showed a clear surprise at the revelation of Jack. He wanted to talk more about it, but no in front of the prisoners. Two sailors who brought water for the victims got out from the deck. "You two!" He called them. "Bring those pirates onboard. And if they try anything, knock them out."

Jack watched Smith as he ordered the sailors to take the prisoners. He put down his cigarette a moment, but kept holding it between his fingers. "What's your name, Lieutenant?"

Smith turned and swelled his chest in pride "Wallace Smith, sir."

One-Eye smiled, he stubbed out his cigarette and courteously asked. "Well Mr. Smith, I would be really grateful if you allowed me research this man in company of you and your crew, onboard of your vessel."

"It would be an honor to help you, sir."

Meanwhile, on the boat of the Lieutenant.

"You heard that? It's One-Eye Jack, the right hand of the Admiral!" One of the pirates told his group. Thinking he was the only one who had overheard the discussion.

"We heard, idiot!" The same older buccaneer retorted "Guess that explain how he could have done this thing earlier!"

Two hours ago

In front of the sawmill, the front door had been demolished by an enormous wood log. Under it was trapped five men who were chasing down two boys. Their grunt had attracted the attention of a tall man who was passing by. The Captain Jack.

"You alright down there?" The navy man asked.

"We're stuck under this stupid log! Do we look alright?" One of them shouted.

"Okay don't move I'll do something!" He grabbed a sword that has been dropped by one of the men from the previous group.

"This things weight' least two tons what's he thinks he'll do?" The older man complained.

A sound of strong wind came from nowhere, alerting the trapped pirates. The massive wood suddenly began to stumble before falling in two parts. It had been cut vertically in the middle and the two parts separated.

Not understanding what has happened, the pirates looked at the former massive log and stood up with difficulty from the debris of the door of the sawmill. A big sound came from behind them. When they looked at the building, they were shocked to see his new state.

The building had been separated in two. Both parts were leaning towards different directions. To the roof at the ground, all of the sawmill that was in the middle had been cut in two. The big sound was caused by the parts which were falling on the other buildings around.

Seeing his oeuvre, Jack scratched his head in embarrassment. "Oops. Maybe I overdid."

"MAYBE?!" All the pirates shouted at the sorry Navy Captain.

Now.

"Tat man is a monster! And he's only the right hand. Dya think he could have cut more than just the building?"

"Stop talking nonsenses! No man could do something like tis! But now we know why this guy was here. He's looking for the Captain Low!"

* * *

Further from Wood Coast on the calm sea of the night, a noisy frigate crew was celebrating their last pillaging.

In all the corners of the first deck, savage sailors where eating, shouting and drinking. One in particular with a yellow bandana was getting the attention of his fellow companions.

Seated, legs crossed a barrel of powder, he was telling something to everyone who were around him. A mug in one hand and a drunk look.

"And then I punched this son of-of thing! And then, he flew all the way in the bar!" He motioned the move by violently jerking arms.

"If you had the upper hand, why do ya look so terrible?" One of his listeners remarked.

"It's because, mate, in the battle, I hit this guy so fiercely that a piece of ma mug flew in me face! But at least tis guy's dead and we found a real gold mine!" He loudly said and took a mouthful of his drink.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Hoi! The Captain wants to see you." One of the superior man told him.

"Ah ah! Look who's going to have a promotion! Bye losers!" He stood up and throw his mug on the other side of the deck before going to the quarter of his captain.

He crossed the party on the deck, and reached the door of the captain's cabin. He tried to fix himself the best he could in his state before opening the door. "Ya wanted to see me, Cap?" was the first thing he said once he was in.

The captain's cabin was messy but tidy enough to find anything you need. On the left side of the cabin was the bed of Low: a mattress filled with feathers, embedded in a box big enough for it to fit it. On the right side of the quarters was a big closet, with glass doors showing books and different bottles with all sorts of liquid in them. Piece of clothes were laying around the floor, all teared up.

Low was slouched on a desk, a glass and wine bottle at his sides. He was playing with a sharp knife which with he was cutting something in the wood of the desk. When he saw the yellow-bandana enter, he perked up. "Yeah, matey. Take a seat." Low took the bottle of wine. "Want a drink?"

"If ya insist, sir!" Yellow excitingly sat on the chair in front of the desk. Low poured the red liquid in his glass and handed it to the man who gladly took it.

"Dya know why I asked you to be here?" He asked Yellow.

Yellow drank his glass in one and served himself again "No idea, sir."

Low sunk into his but kept playing with his knife. "I wanted to congratulate you about our last "shopping trip"." He threw his knife to a nearby wall "So. Congratulation." He straightened up and began to brush some dust on his desk while Yellow kept drinking. "That was a nice little place where we could have take what we wanted and…" Low chuckles "Kyehehe…Have fun."

"Well, glad to make you happy Cap!" Yellow replied with the bottle in his hand and his nose as red as the wine.

Low nodded at the answer of the man. He whispered to him "And I wanted to talk about the incident in this bar."

Getting the hint of his captain, Yellow got closer and put his arm on the desk. He whispered back "What d'ya wanna know?"

Low slammed something on the hand of Yellow who let out a yelp of pain. When he looked at his hand, he saw that Low had stabbed his hand with a pencil. "Did you and your guys really got beaten up by **One Random Guy**?" He asked him with a murderer gaze and an unsettling grin.

"I swear, Cap! Tis guy was a monsta! We couldn't do an-"

Low pressed the pencil harder "And you dare admitting it!" He turned the pencil in the hand of Yellow, making him grunt in absolute pain "You and those guys makes my name look like a name of weakling." Low got up and walked to the door. "And this isn't all…" He made sure the door was locked and continued without turning back. "Guess who was also here tonight?"

Yellow didn't answer back, too focused on trying to break his hand free. "The Captain Jack." This made Yellow flinch, he stopped breathing and was wide-eyed. Big bullets of sweat began to form as Low kept going "Not only you had the stupid idea to begin a fight in a bar, lost it and cry for help after that! But on top of that you make me attack a town where this **Fricking Jack** is!" Low clearly accentuated the name with rage.

The bloodthirsty walked to his subordinate and got a firm grip and the back of his chair. "This will be hard for you to have my forgiveness after all of that." He turned the chair so Yellow could face him again. "But lucky for ya, there is a way."

"An-And what is that way?! Please! I will do anything just don't kill me please!" At those words, the mouth of Low morphed into a shark smile.

Outside of the cabin, the party had calmed down and now the pirates were trying to eavesdrop the conversation between their captain and Yellow.

"It has been five minutes."

"Maybe the bastard really got a promotion!"

The door unlocked loudly and everyone took a step back. When the door opened at his full, the Captain Low was standing there, wiping his sword with his scarf. He then looked up at two of his men.

"You two! Clean this mess! And find me a new desk!" He ordered them. He walked away and pointed at a young pirate, behind a group a bigger one. "And you!" Every men around him took a step back, leaving him at the full sight of Low. Low threw something at him, he closed his eyes in fear, waiting to receive a dagger or something else. Instead a wet tissue hit him and fell flat to the floor. When he looked down, it was a yellow bandana covered in blood. "You're the new Yellow, congrats!" Low told him with a smug smile.

Then the captain continued on his way to the beer barrel. He took a nearby cup and filled it, however he found it unsettling that his men were staring at him with those scared eyes. "What's with those faces, mates?" He turned back and asked all of them "We just got a new bunch of goods and slaves to sell!" He shouted, drunk all of his cup and threw it on the floor "Y'all should be partying right now!" Everyone looked hesitating, some frightened. Until Low slowly took the handle of his sword. "I said you're partying!"

On this threat everyone began to awkwardly laugh and talk just like nothing happened. The ambiance didn't feel like the former but for Low it was enough "Much better!"

The poor new-young yellow stared at the bandana in his hand, still not realizing his change of position and the circumstances of this change. His thoughts were broken when he saw one of the two men the captain required to clean his cabin. He was carrying the former yellow on his shoulder, he then went to the edge of the ship and threw him.

He watched as the body of his ancient companion was pulled in the water, surprising the new yellow. Noticing his reaction, the men answered his interrogation. "Sharks." The young fellow turned to him, confused. "Because of the habit of the Captain to… Threw things in the ocean, some sharks ended up following us. The Captain doesn't mind them: He thinks it's because they have things in common." He wiped his eyes and went back to the cabin.

This time, the two pirates went out. They were each carrying a half of the desk of the Captain. It was separated in a weird line, as if the wood itself had been teared up by powerful sharp teeth. They also threw it in the sea, without much form of process. They both decide to look for something to clean of in the other deck.

The young mate took the occasion to catch a glance at the interior of the cabin of the captain. What he saw made him sick.

The floor was painted in dark red, going from the foot of the bed to the foot of the closet. Leaving those two pieces of furniture clean. Some clothes were stained as well, but it looked like they always had been this color. One of the guest chair had been cut in diagonal on the support.

Not bearing enough, he dashed away, leaving at full view the scene of the murder of his predecessor.

* * *

Back on the Liberty, two hours ago, just after Lincoln, Lynn and Lily escaped the town.

Lori and the others had lead them to a room situated on the deck. It was supposed to be a dining room. It had a table with a bench on each side. On a corner, there was a stove in iron. It was lighted and the coal in it was warming some beans for the newcomers.

Lincoln was seated in the middle of one of the bench while everyone, except Lori was standing up, listening to his story on the other side of the table. Lori was sitting on the bench, catching every word that the cabin boy told her about the fire, the town and the child he brought with him. She looked at him during the whole tale and sometimes throwing a glance at the child at the side of the boy.

The said girl was sitting on the same bench as Lincoln. Lily was staring at the table during the whole story, not listening. However, when Lincoln began to mention the part with her parents, she flinched and tears threatened to come out once again. Noticing the reaction of the little girl Lincoln said no more after the part where the shop collapsed and went directly to the part where Lynn found them.

Lynn was leaning on the wall behind the small group of listeners, hearing every bit of what Lincoln did when he was away. Now regretting to have provoked this fight, and thinking that maybe all of this wouldn't have happened if she didn't start it.

"…Then Lynn found the boat and we jumped on it." Lincoln finished his story.

Lori clasped her hands in front of her mouth and began to think. She finally replied "Well, I'm sorry you had to be exposed to that during your first visit to another town. Sincerely." She told him with genuine sincerity. "You told us that you found a wanted notice of this guy. Could I see it?"

Lincoln searched in his pocket and pulled out the paper, then handed it to Lori who read it. "Edward Ned Low, 2000 pounds."

"Clearly not just a little hoodlum." Luna added, looking at the notice from behind her.

"Clearly not." Lori added before folding the paper and putting it asides. "Okay I think you three had a tough enough night. We'll talk more about this tomorrow."

"And what about Lily?" Lincoln asked, catching everyone stares. This made him lost his confidence and he continued with hesitation "I mean, were she's going to sleep?"

"During your absence, we prepared you a little something. I think it might be also useful for her as well." Lori told them, gaining a confused expression from both.

"And what is it?" He asked.

Lori gestured at Luna to take the following. She gladly accepted "Follow us." Lincoln stood up with hesitation before turning to Lily, who was more afraid than hesitant. He put up his smiling face in reassurance as he handed her a gentle hand.

The child looked at it and lifted her head to look at the boy. His smile appeased her, but a reluctance was still here. She took his hand and went with him.

They both descended the stairs in the unknown, with Lily clutching the hand of the boy. Once they were here, the girls were scattered in a corridor with Luna in the middle. There were seven door in this corridor. In front of the stairs was a closed one. Feet away from it, other closed doors on each sides of the corridor. At each ends of the corridor were other closed door.

Lincoln whistled "That's many cabins.".

"Yeah thanks of the small size of our crew we don't need so much space, so we share rooms with each other." Luna explained. She approached the first door in front of the stairs. "Right there you have the room of Lynn and Lucy." Going to the door at her left. "This one is the twin's." Luna pointed the other door with her hand from where she was. "Then we have mine and Luan's." and pointing to the door in front of her room. "And right there, the room of Lori and Leni."

Intrigued be the last info, Lincoln asked. "Wait, why does the captain sleeps with another person in the same room? Shouldn't she have her own?"

She shrugged with a smile "Lori doesn't care that much about those things. And it doesn't bother her so…" Luna continued with more serious. "Being a captain doesn't only mean commanding a crew, it also mean leading them and help the members of the crew." Seeing that she was forgetting the reason why she was here, she clapped her hands. "Let's finish this tour."

Luna walked to one of the doors at the end of the corridor. "Here we have the room of Lisa. She doesn't have any roommate so maybe she can bunk with her tonight." Luna told Lincoln, mentioning to Lily. She kneeled at her level and looked at her in her hesitant eyes. "What do you think, sweetie?"

Lily looked down and shyly replied "I… I don't know…"

"Personally, I don't mind." The little navigator said.

Luna ruffled the blonde hair of Lily, kindly reassuring her. "It's okay, we can think of something." She stood up and went to the door at the end of the corridor. "And now the part I was looking for." She grabbed the handle and turned to Lincoln. "We prepared that during you were out. It's not much but I think it's okay."

She opened the door, and presented it with open arms. "Welcome to your room, Pretty Boy."

In front of Lincoln, was a closet size room, with a chest of drawer, a straw chair and a hammock which was dangling and hooked to the walls. On the front wall, there was a sort of round porthole, giving a view of what was happening on the water at the front of the ship.

Lincoln was wide eyed and his moth wide agape. He stared in disbelief "Wait! My… My own cabin." then turned to Luna who was just smiling. "Why?"

"The girls told me that you spend the last night sleeping on the deck. So, in order to make amend, we reorganized our broom closet and made it into a room." Lori told him while everyone behind her nodded in agreement. "Not really spacious but I think it will suits your need of shelter for the remaining of the journey." She continued.

The boy kept staring at the room, not believing in what he's seeing. "I don't deserve that…" He muttered.

"For what you did tonight, I think you do." Lori replied as she shuffled his white hair.

"I will never thank you enough…"

"Don't sweat it. And if you feel lonely, you can always call one of us." All the girls, minus Lily stared at Luna. Realizing what she just said she tried to correct herself, with embarrassment. "Wait! That's not what I mean!"

Not giving a chance for Luna to correct her fault, Lori cut her "Let's just call it a night!" she told everyone, while trying to push them in their respective rooms. Leaving only Lily and Lincoln in the corridor.

After some passive goodnights, the two were left alone in front of the room. "That was weird". He said to himself. Feeling again the little grip on his hand, Lincoln awkwardly tried to find something to say. "Well, it's up to you to choose where you're going to sleep." He kneeled at her level "I don't think they will mind if you go with one of them." He scratched his neck "But, if you want you can have my hammock and I'll take the chair. What do you say?" He finished with his most reassuring smile.

Lily looked at the room for a moment, then turned to Lincoln and asked with a shy and hesitant manner "You… You're going to stay?"

Understanding the worries of the child, Lincoln comfortingly answered "Yes. I won't go anywhere."

Lily stared at him for seconds, then made a little smile. She walked to the hammock and took place in it. It was a strange feeling to be in a dangling bed but it was somewhat funny to the child. Lincoln walked in, closed the door and drew the chair closer to the hammock before seating on it.

"How is it?"

Lily was facing the ceiling then turned to be on her right side. "It's my first time in something like that. It's not so bad, I suppose."

"I bet it is." Lincoln chuckled.

Lily looked at him and asked "What's your name?" He looked in return with a raised eyebrow. "Well, you know mine, but I don't know yours." She sheepishly replied, embarrassed by his gaze.

Finding this logical, Lincoln friendly answered "My name is Lincoln Loud."

She nodded. "I'm Lily Ambre!" Lily told him before beginning to chuckle.

Soon, her little laugh disappeared as she called him once again "Hey…" When she saw that she had his attention she asked "My parents told you my name?" with a sadder tone.

Taken aback, Lincoln stared at the little girl in his hammock. His smile faded, leaving only a sad frown. He answered as he looked away "Yes…"

"Sniff!"

Lincoln looked up and saw that Lily began to cry, however she asked something else between her whimpers. "Did they say something else?"

"They…" His tears threatened to come as well, but he retained it for her. "They asked me to take care of you for them…"

Sniffling loudly, she continued. "And… Will you?"

Lincoln reached at the face of the girl with his right hand and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. She looked at him in his sad eyes as he solemnly said. "I will."

Her eyes flickered and more tears came. "This man… He was so scary…" She said in a terrified tone. "He…He…" She had trouble to express herself.

Lincoln softly shushed her, preventing to recall all the bad memories. He slightly stood up and went closer to the child. Taking her in his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder. Her tears soaked his shirt and her cries were directed toward his ear, but at the moment he didn't care. "He's not here anymore. I will protect you from him, Lily. I promise."

Half an hour later.

Lily passed out of fatigue and was now lightly breathing in the hammock. Lincoln was watching her sleeping form, looking at her cheeks with her dried tears. He recalled the promise he made to her parents. "Protect her from pirates…"

"I must protect this child. She's my responsibility now. I promised them, I promised her."

A knock at his door pulled him away from his thoughts. He checked to see if Lily was still sleeping. She was. He stood up and went to open the door. When he opened it, he would have expected her, from all people on this boat, to be the last to knock at his door late at night.

"Can we talk for a sec?" Lynn whispered.

He nodded and silently got out. He closed the door as quietly as possible then turned back to Lynn.

"Listen, I want to apologize." She whispered, gaining a surprised look from Lincoln "I know, I've been really rude to you since all of this began. And after having heard what you went through tonight, I wanted to excuse myself." She explained.

"Oh, it's nothing. Really, I can understand why you did it." He silently told her.

"Really?" She let out a quiet relived sigh "Thanks, that's something out of my shoulders for now. Not that I care or anything, but I would have been in trouble with Lori and Luna if I kept acting like that."

"Right…." He muttered. Before she began to go back to her cabin he called her. "While you're here, I want to ask you something." Gaining her full attention she turned to his with her arms crossed. "Can you please teach me how to fight?"

Lynn stared at him, as if he just said something really stupid. "I think I didn't hear right…"

"I said-"

"I know what you said!" She whispered out loud. She shushed herself and followed, with disbelief "Why are you asking me this? There are people more qualified than me for that!"

"Maybe more qualified, but not as strong as you." Lincoln whispered back, gaining a confused look from her. "I saw how you handed those soldiers this morning and those guys in the bar."

She crossed her arms and looked at him with narrow eyes. "Why, thought?" She stared at him with the same inquisitive look as Lori. "Why do you suddenly want to become stronger?"

Lincoln sighed sadly. "I promised to her parents to protect her at any cost. And tonight, my meeting with Low was a sign that I'm not strong enough to do it." He looked in her eyes with pleading yet determined ones. "So, I'm not asking you, I'm begging you."

Lynn expression changed into a troubled one. The sudden sight of a man pleading for her help bothered her, but his expression had something attractive. Her face became hotter and she grunted because of it. Lynn turned her head away to hide her face as she answered. "Fine! Tomorrow, we'll see what you're going to do." In the corner of her eyes she saw that he began to smile, giving an additional beam to his expression. "But I warn you! I'm not planning to be as soft and friendly as Luna! I won't hear any complaints and you'll do as I say!" Lynn strictly told him before storming off to her cabin.

Lincoln was more than happy with her answer, not even minding her strange behavior. He quietly went back to his cabin. Once the door was closed, Lincoln looked one last time at Lily. He caressed her hair, gaining a sweet mumble from her. Lincoln sat on his chair, and slightly bend his hair at the back. From the porthole was emanating the moonlight, giving a view of the peaceful sea.

"Next time won't be the same…" He thought, then closed his eyes.


	8. On the right path! What is the treasure?

The first rays of the sun reflected on the pale blue sea, giving it a reflection as shiny as jewelry. Some of the rays lost themselves in the porthole of a former broom closet of the Liberty. Illuminating the pale face of a sleeping Lincoln.

In his deep slumber he couldn't help to feel strange sensation going on his face. Half-awakened by the light, he felt that something was poking his cheek. He tiredly half-opened his eyes, in order to be meted by the strong rays of dawn and a Lily, up, poking at his cheek.

He closed his eyes again, but spoke up in an exhausted manner. "This isn't a way to wake up people…" He said, still with the finger of Lily on his face.

"I didn't want to wait for you to wake up." Lily said as she stopped to poke at his face.

Lincoln grumbled as he straightened "What time is it?" He asked while he looked outside, only to be blinded by the reflection of the sun on the water.

"It should be 6 o'clock. It's always at this hour that I get out of bed."

Lincoln looked at her with his closed eyes "Okay, then." The young man yawned and scratched his beginning of goatee "Let's see if we can find something to do while waiting for everyone else."

He opened the door and walked in the corridor, followed by Lily. He directed himself towards the stairs. The boat was creaking because of the movement of the waves on the hull. His woody steps were covered by those same creaking while he was walking with Lily.

They walked up the stairs and found themselves in the same room as yesterday. On the table were present a piece of bread, a water-filled carafe, a mug and a butter knife. "Someone is already up?" Lincoln thought out loud.

"We're only having this as breakfast?" Lily asked while looking at the table.

Lincoln walked to one of the cabinet on the wall and randomly opened one. He must have been his luck because what his eyes set on was perfect to eat with bread.

"I found cheese." He cheerfully said to the little girl. Her eyes gleamed and she quickly took a place at the table, waiting for Lincoln. Lincoln giggled as he placed the cheese on the table. He cut a piece of bread and placed on it a bit of cheese before handing it to Lily.

"It seems that she's comfortable enough with me to wake me up." The boy thought while he watched Lily eating.

"You're always up so soon?" Lincoln asked her about her early bird behavior.

"Uh, uh." She nodded and kept eating.

"There is a reason behind that?"

"Well, my mom and dad always woke up early to take care of the flowers and see how they are: Seeing if they are well hydrated, if they grow normally, if they can sell them or not." The little girl enumerated hers and her parent morning activities "I spent most of my time with my mom and my great aunt."

"My dad worked at the sawmill but he was always cutting the wood in the forest, like a lumberjack. But a lumberjack always has a beard, right?"

Lincoln nodded with an attentive smile.

"So, mom and me we'd always laugh about the fact that he's not a true lumberjack because he doesn't have a beard."

"That's a kind of mean." Lincoln said with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I know. So, me and mommy would always make it up to him with a peck on the cheek. And I remember one time, I told him that he didn't need to have a beard to be most favorite daddy. After I said that he cried, and he said that it was because he was happy!"

"I'm sure he was."

"Hey." The little called, gaining the attention of Lincoln "Can you tell me about your parents?"

The boy was surprise by this sudden interest. "My parents?" He asked in confirmation, and she nodded affirmatively.

"Where to begin? My father was a fisherman and my mother sold everything he could get. At the same time, she worked in our familial shop."

"What did you sell?"

"Oh, mostly things for fishing. Yep, we spent our time with the fishes. So much that our meals were mostly constituted of what my mother couldn't sell."

"Bleh!" Lily exclaimed while doing a disgusted raspberry.

Lincoln laughed at her cute reaction. "Yeah, bleh. But we lived happily, we didn't have much but it was just enough. As for what I did, I helped my parents in any ways possible: by working at the shop or fishing with my dad." "Sometimes I also worked in other jobs."

"How many?" Lily asked. "How many jobs you had?" She asked, looking for information.

Lincoln used his fingers as he enumerated. "I was a doctor assistant, a blacksmith farrier second hand, a helper at the local orphanage, a waiter in a bar, a barman and a dishwasher. All three last in that same bar."

"Wow! That makes many jobs." Lily said, amazed by the count.

"Not bad." Lucy replied.

"It's not that much, and I was only paid some coins for some of those jobs." He told them with humility.

Then it hit them.

Both Lily and Lincoln jumped. Lincoln almost felt from the bench when Lily dashed closer to him in reflexes. Both had been scared by the sudden apparition of Lucy and the two were staring at her with big eyes

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE!?" The boy asked the lass in black, with a most increased heartbeat due to the surprise.

"I just arrived. But don't mind me, go on." Lucy just casually said, while gesturing him to continue his story.

"I think that's all." He quickly shifted his eyes toward Lily. "About you, Lily?"

"I think I heard enough." The child quickly said, without removing her stare off Lucy.

"I was eager to hear more, but I'll deal with it." Lucy shrugged with her monotone voice before picking a piece of the bread and eating it. "After having watched you willingly sleep on the deck the other night, I wanted to learn more about you as well."

"You watched me sleep?"

Realizing what Lucy just said, she stared back at him with a narrowed eye and a suspect tone. "No…"

"But you jus-"

"Do you know what we're looking for exactly, Lincoln?" She cut him off. Seeing his troubled expression, Lucy clarified her question "The objective of this treasure hunt?"

The eyes of Lily shined with stars "A treasure hunt?"

Lincoln was troubled by what she just said, but was more surprised that she used his first name to call him this time. "Now that you're telling me, I don't know." He decided to follow.

She took another bite of her bread. "Do you know who is Cortez?" She asked him, with a piercing yet calm eye.

Lincoln became unsettled by this, but answered anyway. "A conquistador who discovered the New World."

"And who was also known because of the richness he brought to Spain. He spent the majority of his life to enslave the native and take their gold and jewels." Lucy added while chewing "It's not like the inhabitants weren't unwilling to give the Spanish what they wanted: When they landed with their horses and their muskets, the natives believed that they were gods. So, in order to please them, they gave them anything their heart desired." She filled the mug with water and drank it.

Lincoln and Lily were all hears, eager to know the rest of the story. When she finished, she talked in the mug, making an echo effect with her voice "However…" She set down the mug and her eye had changed: she had a somber glow in it. When Lucy talked again, it was like her voice was the only sound in the little cabin. "The true Gods of the native tribute didn't take well the identity usurpation Cortez used. So, in order to punish them, the Gods cursed him and his group. By sending a monster from the skies to take back what was theirs and punish the usurpers."

Lily sunk into the arms of Lincoln, who instinctively let her do. "The Emissary of the Gods found them in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and attacked them. Most of the ships have been sunk and the men devoured or drowned. As for the richness, some were lost in the sea, but the monster saved enough to please the Gods. He brought it back in the New World lands. But the Gods were still upset, towards the native tribute because they had faith in false gods. They sent the creature to eat the sacrifices the native would give to them in exchange for their pardon."

"Those who accepted, survived the curse of the Gods. As for the others, who thought they were right to believe in the Spanish, the creature got rid of them and the ones who survived have been killed by an unknown source."

The child and the boy were now shivering. Lucy stood up and slowly crawled to them. "Nowadays, it is said that the small amount of treasure is hidden somewhere in the New World. But don't try to take it, its guardian will be there."

BOOM! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Both Lincoln and Lily screamed with all the force of their lungs while holding each other.

A book has been slammed against the table, between Lucy and the two scared listeners. The holder of the book was Lisa, who was emotionlessly glaring at Lucy who took back her stoic expression. "I already told you that all of this was all just nonsenses and gibberish from a bunch of liars."

"And I already told you that those are legends and we shouldn't disrespect them. On top of that, it's written in the diary we found." Lucy retorted back with her usual voice.

"Oh please, stop already! I'm sure you invented half of it, only to scare them. And it seems that you succeeded." Lisa ended by pointing out two pale-faced Lily and Lincoln. They were terrified because of the story but the book of Lisa brought the coup de grace.

Satisfied by her work and showing it with a little smile, the black-clothed lass said: "I'll content myself with that." And walked outside of the cabin.

Lisa pinched the bridge of her nose. "Seriously… Don't mind what she told you. Like I just said it's only a bunch of nonsense and there is a logical reason to all of those events."

Lisa stood up on the bench, to have the full attention of her two listeners. "First for the gold, it has been lost because of a storm and by luck, a small yet satisfying amount stayed in the New World."

"What about the unknown source that killed many natives?" Lily asked her.

"That was the result of the diseases brought by Cortez and his men. The autochthonous weren't able to heal from a European illness and, sadly, they couldn't survive it."

Thinking it might be too much, Lincoln put his hand on each ear of Lily before quickly saying "I think that's all we need to know for today. Thank you for those… enlightenment, Lisa!"

"You're welcome. Let me just tell you that there is always a logical reason for everything that happens." The little navigator said before hopping off the bench. "They told me that you were smarter than you looked, I hope they were right." Lisa added before disappearing in the stairs.

Gently removing his hands from her head, Lily called him. "Lincoln." He slightly lowered his head "What are you exactly? A group of explorers?"

The young man was full of hesitation to respond but answered anyway with trouble "Something like that, yes."

"Who makes theirs vocalizes so early?"

"Who shout out like that? I have some things to tell them!"

"That must be someone who must be like a fish shout of the water!" Followed by many groans.

"Everyone's up." Lincoln sighed.

* * *

It has been only twenty minutes since everyone woke up because of the screams of Lily and Lincoln. The dining room has been quickly filled by the crew, creating a rumpus of shouts, discussions and fight over what remained of the cheese. In all of this chaos, Lori found the time to announce Lincoln his next chore. "Today Mr. Loud, I need you to do the laundry." Lori commanded her cabin boy.

"Okay, Captain." He began to mindlessly walk away until he realizes something. He turned back and asked. "Wait. Where do I find the clothes?"

"In the bathroom, at the other end of the corridor. Now go!" Lori answered him while she tried to snatch some food.

"They have a bathroom?! How comes?" Lincoln thought while he descended the stairs. However, he didn't hear that the brouhaha of the fight stopped for seconds, and the girls stared at him while he went down.

"Should we tell him or…?" Luna asked the group.

"Not yet. I want to see where this is going." Lori answered, before the fight started again.

Lincoln went to the door as described. When he opened it, a basin full of clothes was at his feet but he was first met with an appreciable yet strange sight.

On the right, was a hole cut in the hull and which led to the ocean. Lincoln didn't really need a deep explanation to guess what it was. Near it was a bathtub in wood, within it a bent little plaque with little holes in it. On one the wall of the bathtub was a shower pipe.

"Where did they get all of this?" Lincoln wondered out loud. He stopped gazing at the bathtub and knelt to grab the basin. Once he got it, he perceived something in the corner of his eye when he turned to see what it was, he saw Lily at his eye level.

"Hum… You need to use the bathroom?" He asked her, unsure of her sudden appearance.

"Not right now."

Lincoln just brushed it off and walked up the stairs with the basin full of clothes. The fight in the dining room was still going, but when he entered the room they all stopped to look at him.

Embarrassed by their sudden stares, he asked. "Where can I wash it?"

Luan was shoved out of the group. "Uh… Let me show you the way." She told him before leading him outside. While he followed her on the deck, the girl's eyes didn't move away from him, unsettling him even more and making him increase the speed of his pace. When he went out, he didn't hear their mutual "Awwww~"

Luan led him to the bottom of the deck while giving him some glances. The boy was obviously troubled, but didn't dare ask why this sudden insistence in watching him. However, it was like her eyes were set on something lower than him. So, in order to know what could be so interesting, he looked behind him.

He first saw that the rest of the girls were gathered near the frame of the door, watching. Then much lower and closer he saw Lily walking behind him.

Thinking to have found the reason of their behavior, He zigzagged to check if it was what he thought. At each change, the little girl would change her direction as well and always be behind him.

"Awwww." Yep, that was what he thought.

"Here's a bucket and soap. You'll find in the bucket the brush. Once the clothes are soaked, you can leave them on the shrouds." Luan said, pointing at his material. She then left them, walking backward.

When he was sure she had joined the group, Lincoln kneeled and set down his basin before grabbing the first shirt on the pile and soaked it in the bucket. Lily sat on her knees and watched him clean the clothes.

After having washed, for five minutes, a grey shirt and hung it on the shroud as indicated, Lily asked him "What are you exactly? I mean, why do you have to clean the clothes of the others."

"I'm the cabin boy. And I don't only clean the clothes: I mop the decks, clean the canons and assist the shipwright and the navigator." He said as he took another clothe and put it in the water.

"And what's that? Being a cabin boy?" She asked him, tilting her head, intrigued by the meaning of his role.

He though a moment to give her a simple answer. As he sunk the clothe in the soaped water he told her. "To make it simple, it's being at the service of everyone in the crew."

"You'd be like a butler on a boat, then." The child offered him.

"That's a pretty way to describe it." He giggled while he began to scrub the vest with the brush.

After thirty seconds of scrub, she demanded "Can I ask something else?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you the only boy?"

Lincoln took another moment to think of the conditions that led him there, only to find one explication "A happy incident."

Realizing the size of the pile of clothes and the time he was taking only for one, Lincoln decided to send her somewhere else. Not that he didn't want her to stay and keep him company, just that watching someone doing chores for about hours wasn't surely something really entertaining for a child. "How about you go meet everyone while I do this. It may take some times."

"I don't know…"

Lincoln put out his gentle smile. "You don't have to be afraid, they're all very kind."

"Even the scary one from this morning?" She asked, almost shaking.

Guessing that she was referring to Lucy, he reassured her. "Yeah, even her."

Lily nervously shifted on her wait before standing up and slowly walking to the cabin. She turned backward a last time, and saw that Lincoln was giving her a supportive smile with a thumb up. Filled with a new confidence, she returned to walk to the cabin, with a most trusted pace.

"I must be the scary one." A monotone voice came from behind Lincoln, making him jump.

"Please! Stop doing that!" He pleaded Lucy.

"No."

Lincoln resignedly sighed, before talking. "While you're here and Lily is not. I wanted to ask you: what you told us this morning…" "Was it true?"

"Who knows? Maybe yes, maybe no. I thought you believed in the existence of sea monsters."

"I do. But you weren't talking about the Kraken or a mermaid. You were talking about something that comes above us all."

"The writings describe it as a snake with feathers. The native called it Quetzalcoatl." Lincoln just blinked twice at the complicate name. "Or Quetzy, for us." Lucy justified, with the nickname.

"A sent-by-gods snake with feathers that can sink ships and kill the best soldiers of Spain…" Lincoln trailed, with a scared expression. "And we're going right at it."

"You already signed, it's too late to go back now." Lucy patted his back before going into the cabin.

During the next hour, Lincoln mindlessly kept wetting, brushing and hanging the clothes. During one instant he thought he heard something from the cabin, but didn't try to investigate it. He then kept doing his labor, until he got a light hit on the head.

When he turned, he saw Lynn standing with two rows in one arm and two swords in the other. Her face was a bit scratched, her hair was a mess (more than usual) and she didn't have her brown coat but only a red shirt with the sleeves rolled up just above the elbows.

"We're going now." She threw him the rows, before descending in the little boat that awaited them.

He climbed down the ladder and sat on the rowing boat, with Lynn facing him. He kept staring at Lynn before finally asking. "What happened to you?"

"Not your business." She just told him. Behind her was an isle with a beach and a jungle with palmers.

Lincoln thought that his was their destination so he put his weight on the hull and pushed the boat. He took the two rows and began to move as he asked her, intrigued. "Why do we have to get out of the boat?"

"I don't want you to get distracted." This answer made Lincoln feel some genuine emotions, glad that even after everything that has happened between them, Lynn was going to take that seriously.

Attracted by the sudden motion of the rowing boat, Charles the orca, got his head out of the water. "Not today, Charles. We have something important to do." Lynn told him, before he went back to his post under the surface.

"While we are here, I'll begin with the rules in a pirate fight." She told Lincoln. He always knew that in fighting there was always a certain code to respect but he didn't know pirate had some too.

"And there is only one rule: There is no such thing as playing dirty." Lynn explained. Lincoln rolled his eyes: Obviously, he should have seen it coming. "Meaning that you must always be prepared that your opponent is unpredictable and he thinks that you are as well." He nodded and kept rowing.

After ten minutes, they had reached the beach. Lynn instantly went out of the boat, letting Lincoln parking it on the sand. Lincoln looked at the Liberty from where he was. "Do they know that we aren't on the boat anymore?"

"I warned Lori, so they won't go until we're back."

"Take this." She threw him one of her swords. "First, let me see your posture."

Lincoln didn't know how he should place himself, so he tried to find a position that, in his opinion would be good enough. But for Lynn, it wasn't.

She walked behind him. "Open more your legs!" and pushed his legs out with hers so his right leg would be at the front and the left at the back. Seeing him awkwardly standing on his left leg, she told him while coming back in front of him. "Put your weight on your right leg."

"And what do I do with my other hand?" He asked, referring to his left.

"You leave it alone for now." "Let's try with something simple: face me and move to your right while keeping this posture."

Lincoln nodded and did as told. Keeping his sword his its sheath he lifted it and pointed it in her direction. He moved his right leg first then the left followed after. He tried to take a glance at his walk, but Lynn immediately scolded him. "Keep your eyes on your opponent! If they disappear from your sight just for one half-second, anything can happen."

After that, he kept turning slowly around her until she finally stopped him. "Your legwork is not bad. But you have to stay focused, or else…"

Lynn drew out her sword and showed the blade to Lincoln. "Do you know what types of blade is this?"

"It's a cutlass." Lincoln answered.

"Yes, and the one I gave you is-"

"A backsword." He cut her before she finished. He sheepishly excused himself.

With a light glare, she moved on. "This part is the one used to cut," She turned the sword and pointed at the back of the blade "And this part is wider, meaning that you can hit people without hurting them too much with it." She swiftly pointed the sword at him, startling the boy "But that doesn't mean it's safe for you."

"You're holding something that can hurt and kill people. And if it's badly used, it can hurt you as well." Lynn continued.

"Firm grip." She ordered him. He understood the message. He drew out his sword and firmly held it. "I want you to attack me."

Lincoln wasn't sure about her proposition, so he tried to ask her if it was really a good idea. But he barely opened his mouth she talked first. "If you're going asking me if I'm sure, we're exchanging roles." She threatened him, like her two days old self would have done.

Not wanting to upset her, Lincoln charged at her and brought his sword from up to down. She parried and pushed his sword away. Lincoln stumbled a bit, but quickly re-put his weight on his front leg, bringing horizontally the sword in his movement. Lynn parried once again, making his backsword blade slide against her cutlass. After the two swords were separated, he instinctively hit again from the left. She parried once again and pushed him away.

And they kept going, Lincoln attacking and Lynn parrying, Until Lincoln hit her from his right, she obviously parred him. But instantly and more fiercely pushed him away, and once he was stumbling, she aimed and struck for his head.

Lincoln, didn't have the time to react: His balance was too unstable and his sword too far for him to block it. He closed his eyes and waited for the hit.

Nothing.

When he opened them, Lynn's blade had stopped just in the middle of his eyes. Close enough for a bead to drip on the tip of the blade. When she pulled away, Lynn was smirking at him. Amused by his expression.

"I told you: There are no rules in a pirate fight." She drew back her sword in the sheath and looked at the boat. "We're going to stop here for today. Keep the sword, you're going to need it for the future training." On that, she walked to the rowing boat and waited for the struck Lincoln to come in and row them back to the Liberty.

Lincoln pushed the little boat and hopped in once it was perfectly on the water. He grabbed the rows, but before beginning, he asked Lynn. "How was it? There is hope for me?"

"Well, you're actually pretty naïve in thinking that I wouldn't try to riposte at least once. Also, your balance is terrible and your moves are easily readable." She criticized not sparing any details, gaining a sad frown from him. "But it wasn't so bad for someone who holds a sword for the first time." She made a devil grin and cracked her knuckles. "That's just mean that I'll have to be even harsher on you."

"Oh boy…"

When they reached the boat and climbed up, it seems like everyone was elsewhere, with only Lisa on the deck.

She spotted him and called. "Mr. Loud, I need you right now."

He walked to her. "What can I do for you?"

"I want you to raise the anchor and I'm going to need you at the bar." Lisa instructed him.

Lincoln couldn't believe what she was asking him. She asked him to raise the anchor on his own and take the bar. "You're sure?" He asked with a little hint of excitation.

"Yes, I am." Lisa told him without looking back at him.

Lincoln immediately ran to the pulley and pushed it. It required all the strength in the muscles of his arms, shoulders and legs. He made three turns before he couldn't push further, meaning that the anchor was fully raised. The boat made a violent move as the wind went full force into the sails, and began to slowly move forward. He blocked the pulley, and ran to the bar.

"To starboard!" Lisa shouted him. He slowly gripped the handles of the bar. He grinned like a child, knowing that he now had full control over a boat for the first time in his life. He turned the bar, full right and the Liberty followed. Except that he turned it a bit too much, provoking Lisa to lost her balance and fell.

"S-Sorry!" He sheepishly shouted at her.

Lisa climbed up the stairs and went beside him. "At least, you're as full of enthusiasm as they said." She told him as she popped her back.

Keeping gladly the bar in hand he asked her. "So, we're leading for America?"

"Yes, in the Amazon jungle to be exact." Lisa told him. "It's situated at the center of the continent." Lincoln spine got goosebumps at those words and he couldn't help but smile goofily.

He kept the bar for the rest of day until noon. Lisa told him that he could go back to his usual habits since all they had to do was crossing the entire Atlantic Ocean. Soon, Leni called for everyone. It was lunchtime.

As he kind of expected it, everyone rushed to the dining room and waited in line. Every girl had a plate and were waiting to be served. An odor of meat and bowled potato brought saliva to his mouth.

While he was sniffling and drooling, a tug at his shirt brought him out of his culinary thoughts. Lily was handing him a plate.

"Hey, Lily. So, how was your day?" He greeted her as he took the plate.

"Pretty good. I would have never thought that they could be so funny!"

Lincoln made a sarcastic smile. Apparently, everyone except him, think that they're funny. "Tell me more about it." He asked the child anyway, sure that she wanted to say more.

"This morning, when you told me to go see them, they all greeted me nicely."

* * *

When Lily had come see them, they were all surprised and thought that Lincoln told her off. Obviously provoking, momentarily, some doubts and anger towards him. Until the little girl sheepishly tried to explain to them that Lincoln encouraged her to meet them. Cooling them off, at the moment.

"Let's make the presentations." Lori exclaimed, then clapped her hands together "I am Lori, the captain."

Leni kneeled at the level of Lily and messed her hair. "My name is Leni, and I'm totes glad to meet you!" She told her with a big smile, full of good intentions.

"My name's Luna."

"I'm Luan"

"Lynn." She said with her hands in the pockets of her coat.

"Lana." She pointed her thumb at herself.

"I'm Lola." She said, as she lightly bowed.

"Lisa." She said as she replaced her glasses.

"Lucy." She said, making every one of them jump.

"For god sake stop doing that or I'll have to put a bell on you!" Lynn threatened out in anger.

"Try, and I'm going to show you what a real swordswoman is capable of."

Everyone, minus Lily, gasped and turned to Lynn.

Lynn's frown became somber and she made an angry smirk "What did you just say about me, Dorkula?!"

The eye of Lucy took the same look as the ones of Lynn. "Oh, you heard me right, weak robin!"

"Ok! That's it!" Lynn grabbed a nearby spoon and launched at Lucy, then tackled her to the ground.

She then grabbed her collar and lifted her. "We're going to see who's weak!" She said as she pointed the back of her "weapon" at the face of the one she pinned down.

"Bring it!" Lucy spat before exchanging their place. She pulled out of nowhere another spoon and aimed at the head of the one on the ground. Who instantly blocked her, then pushed Lucy out of her.

The two stood up and glared at each other before engaging in a clash of spoons.

"This is going ridiculous." Lisa sighed.

"I don't think they're just going to spoon around longer." Luan said, then chuckled. "You get it?"

"I got it!" Lily exclaimed, raising her hand.

Lori sighed "I think we can just leave them like that and we'll come back later." Everyone went to the stairs, along with Lori who was lightly pushing Lily who was trying to watch the brawl.

* * *

"That would explain her state earlier." Lincoln thought, while Lily excitedly told him all about her day.

"Lincoln! You're not listening!" The child complained to the big guy in front of her, clearly seeing that he wasn't paying attention.

"Sorry! I'm listening now, go on."

From the other part of the table, Lori stood up and addressed to everyone. "I think we can thanks that patrol we met for today's meal." She exclaimed with a smug grin.

"YEAH!" The girls screamed. Brought by the mutual joy, Lincoln and Lily did as well.

* * *

Further, on another part of the ocean. A lonely patrol boat from the Navy was sailing. But suddenly coming from it, bothering the peace of the ocean a loud sneeze.

"ATCHA!"

The Lieutenant Smith sniffled "Maybe a draft." A tissue from the Captain was offered to him. He took it and blew in it "Thank you. So, you were saying?"

"I said that I had an infiltrated in the group of Low and that he told me he's going to discover where they are posted when they aren't wandering and stealing on the sea." Jack told the man before returning to gaze at the ocean and enjoy the light breeze.

Smith's curiosity really began to peak since the Captain told him the reason of his presence at Wood Coast, and even more when he said that even the Royal Navy itself didn't know that he was there. Couldn't bear it any longer and wanting some answers, he said to the back of his superior. "I have something to ask you, sir. But if you don't want to answer I won't push it."

"Go ahead, Mr. Smith." He simply said, unaware of the intrigued tone of the man.

"With all of my respect, you're one of the strongest members of the Royal Navy, along with the Admiral of the fleet, the others admirals and the "House of Cards". So, why are you wasting your time to chase down a simple renegade like Low?"

Jack opened his eye and stared at the horizon. He said with a chuckle "I figured that you might ask me that." He heavily sighed and brought his hand to his forehead "Not that I can hide it anymore. After all, I'm the one who intruded on your boat, so it's normal that you ask the reason why." The lieutenant was shocked to see that he managed to convince him to tell his reasons. Without turning back to look at him, the Captain started.

"All started when I was a young commander. I was going to be promoted to the rank of captain. But a bit before that, a little village in the Caribbean had been attacked and devastated by a merciless pirate. I was sent there to state the damages and write a report."

"When we landed, we only found corpses and ashes. The pirates had taken everything and killed everyone. Except for a little boy." Smith perked up at this detail. "When I found him, he was scared and traumatized…" He darkly laughed "Maybe it was out of pity, but I decided to take him with me."

Slowly putting the pieces together, Smith hesitantly replied: "Don't tell me…"

Jack turned to Smith, showing a sad and nostalgic frown "The name of this boy was Edward, Ned Low."

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

Coming right away, a new chapter.

I want to take a moment to say something.

The other day I received a PM from one of you, asking me nicely if we could talk about the story. So, I accepted and then, well... We talked.

And then, during the conversation, I realized that maybe some of you have questions as well. So why not? You could give me some simple one, but I warn you now: if there are questions that I see as spoilers I won't answer them.

On this, see you soon for the future chapter.


	9. Tea party

Table manners: rules used while feeding; way of politeness during a meal. Example used in a sentence: the pirates don't have any table manners.

And seeing some of his crewmates act during the lunch made Lincoln think that this was true. In few cases.

He didn't know people could really be so crazy about food. It was good, yes. Delicious even. At least as good as a meal prepared by your mother, but was it really necessary that Lynn and Lana fought over the last piece of meat?

They glared at each other until Lori decided to intervene. By declaring that it was her. It obviously led to the two to take it no matter what. The meat switched plates more often than it should have to. After leaving a complete mess of meat juice and mashed potatoes on the table, it was Leni who decided to take the meat and cut it so everyone except them could have some. They tried to protest but something in the displeased face of Leni seemed to have shut them off.

Lincoln didn't know quite well yet Miss Leni: he only learned that she was a kind and compassionate woman. So, suddenly seeing the others stop just because she shot them a glare meant one thing: you don't want to know her once she's angry. And it made him even more afraid to do so after he saw Lynn retract herself and not saying anything else.

After the lunch had come to an end, everyone went back to their previous occupation. The little Lily was dragged by Luan who absolutely wanted to show her work, so she did follow the older girl but promised the ash haired to come back. The only ones remaining in the dining room were Lincoln and Leni. It has been left in a mess: The forks were still king of greasy, the plates had uneatable leftovers and they were scattered all over the table. Same table that had remains of the greasy meat juice.

Leni stood in front of the table and sighed. "They can be really messy when they want…" The young woman pulled a napkin from one of the cabinets behind her. She looked at the table, then at the dishes.

"You want some help?"

She glanced at the other end of the table: Lincoln had just finished eating and was going to leave, but stopped seeing her expression "Well I planned of resew some clothes but," She said while she looked at the table one more time ", Seeing the mess they left me, I'm not going to do anything."

"How about I do it?" Lincoln offered "I mean, I'm the cabin boy, my duty is to help everyone on this boat."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Let me clean up everything and go do your things, Miss Leni."

She smiled and exclaimed "Aw, you're sweet," She passed beside him and gently pulled his cheek before disappearing down the stairs. Lincoln watched her while rubbing his cheek. In a way, she reminded him of his mother: always pulling teasingly one of his cheeks when he tried to be nice.

He stopped daydreaming and began to pile up the plates then put them in the sink, where a big yellow sponge was. He turned the tape to let the water fill it (where did it come from? He had to ask one day), went back to grab all of the forks and knives before putting them in the water to degrease them. He took the previous napkin of Leni and soaked it, then began to pass it on the table.

To keep his mind from boredom, Lincoln tried to recall a song or a melody he could think of and hum. It's a reflex he got when he stayed at "The Drunken Clam" after the hours of opening. He would always be the one doing the cleaning after everyone, except the boss, finished. Sometimes, Velia would keep him company and they'd talk about everything and nothing.

"Drinking and singing…" Lincoln began to sing, at a low sound, for himself "Crowd gets begging…"

Before he knew it, he was tapping the floor with one of his feet and moving his hips to right and left. The song was quite entertaining, he had to admit. He was sweeping the table in rhythm with his thoughts and moves.

"For one song of more…" He slid his hand with the napkin to the other end of the table, bringing his body along "As I shout my voice is sore…"

Lincoln was moving his hips from right to left while standing with his back in front of the stairs.

"They ask for one more song…I request they tag along…"

Left, right, left, right. Her eyes only followed the movement. Left, right, left, right. You know, being one of the shortest girls in the crew wasn't always easy but with the time she managed to deal with it. However, being at the same height as the waist of someone taller wasn't really something hard to live with. Almost everyone was quite taller than her but with the time she got used to it.

Except when you're climbing up the stairs to take a cup of tea after a good meal and suddenly find yourself met with a posterior moving with rhythm from left to right.

She didn't make any sounds in the woody steps because if she was a pirate now, she remained a lady before anything else and a lady has to always walk with light and quiet steps, she didn't even gasp when she saw it. But she was shocked indeed.

She wanted to turn and walk away as soon as she felt her face warming, however, she couldn't even bring herself to look elsewhere. Her wide-opened eyes followed the movement of the two rounds that hugged the fabric of his pants.

"We begin, everything's going good…" Lincoln slid to the other length of the table. "'Till I see him at my-" He stopped, noticing something in the corner of his eye. Lincoln slowly turned his head and when he saw who it was, he suddenly went pale.

She stared at him with an embarrassed face and red cheeks. She coughed before asking while looking elsewhere. "W-Where is Leni?"

Lincoln shook himself before answering, doing the same as her. "S-She had something to do, so I offered to do her chores." He nervously smiled at her "You needed something, Miss Lola?"

Lola took an annoyed yet still flushed expression, before answering with sourness "She said she was going to have some tea with me after lunch…" She walked with her nose in the air and sat at the table, bring her knees together and dropping her hands on them "But I'll think I'll be alone this time."

Lincoln stayed there and stared at her. Finding his gaze disturbing, the girl told him without looking at his face. "Be useful and serve me one."

The boy stuttered before rushing to the cabinet and prepare to fumble in them but didn't in which one searching, and he surely didn't want to bother the order in the kitchen of Miss Leni. He stood in front of them, unsure of knowing in which one he had to search through. Noticing his internal struggle and because he kept her waiting Lola decided to intervene but not without forgetting to add annoyance in her high voice. "Third cabinet from the left for the cups and the infusions," Lola said from behind.

After an intense search, Lincoln brought out one white teacup made of porcelain and at least five little sachets of tea infusions. There were sachets of green, yellow and black tea but also fruit flavored ones: orange and strawberry.

"There is also a teapot deep down the cabinet." She added, keeping her annoyed and bossy tone. "Fill it."

The boy did as obliged, he reached for the teapot. It was as white as the cup and the handle was golden. He then put it on the stove before filling it with the water that was already in the carafe. The stove was still warm from the previous use, it made it easier to lighten it again. So, now Lincoln was watching the teapot was warming up because he had to be ready to put it out on the stove once it was ready and because he couldn't face Lola after what she… Witnessed.

"Just to make it clear: I didn't see anything and nothing happened. Understood?" The girl exclaimed to the boy, without looking at him.

He replied with a weak "Yes, Ma'am." Too embarrassed to just do nothing, he began to do the dishes.

"Oh god, why?! Why it has to be her? Why it has to be at that moment that I wanted to dance? Guess I'm missing more Royal Woods than I would think," Lincoln thought while staring at the teapot. He noticed that the porcelain was really clean, proof that Miss Leni really took care of everything in there. In it the white of the teapot he could even see the reflection of Miss Lola behind him. The girl was staring at the wall in front of her with a flushed expression but sometimes he could see her caught some glances at him then quickly going back to stare at the wall.

"Was that… the song of Luna?" Lola hesitantly asked, she saw his head nodding from behind.

"What's so special she finds about you?"

"Maybe if you ask her she'll tell you..." He said as he passed a knife under the water.

"What do I find in him?" Luna repeated the question. She was actually sitting on her bed and adjusting the cords of her violin when Lola suddenly barged in and asked about her "pretty boy".

"Yeah! Lori said you helped him to get in the crew and that you accepted to be responsible of him," The younger girl crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze "I would have never thought you'd be the kind to do so much for a man. What's your point?" She asked with a suspicious tone.

"I thought he would fit well." Luna simply told her while turning the tuning pegs, she then leaned and whispered: "And because I think his naivety is too cute to miss."

"Cute?!" Lola almost stumbled back hearing this.

"I don't want to be rude by asking that, Miss," He slightly turned his head to her "but can I know why you hate me?"

"Because I think you're just another stupid man who only wants one thing, and this is clearly disgusting," Lola answered with sourness and annoyance.

"D-Disgusting?" Lincoln muttered, not understanding how wanting to have an adventurous life could be disgusting.

"Is he playing stupid with me?" She thought, almost wanting to burst it out but restraining herself.

Lincoln felt both kinds of heat suddenly: one, sent by the eyes of the girl and another, provoked by the teapot that was now hot enough. This gave him an idea "It seems that you and I, we started off on the wrong foot. So why don't we try to learn about each other around a nice cup of tea?" He kindly proposed, almost submitting to the angry eyes of the preadolescent.

Lola kept staring at him with her frown before scoffing a "Humph!" and putting her chin on her palm. "Not's like I have something to lose anyway." She stopped shooting daggers and looked once again at the wall.

Lincoln made a small toothy smile thinking it was still best than nothing. He took the teapot by the handle, he could feel the heat of the hot water radiate from the porcelain. He quickly brought it to the table and went back to the cabinet to take out another cup. While he was doing that, Lola had already filled her white cup with water and was waiting for the sachets to come as well.

The cabin boy dropped the sachets in front of Lola, keeping his grin. She still had her despising gaze when he sat in front of her. Keeping her brows furrowed she picked a sachet of black tea and put it in her cup which turned brown; she kept the thin string of the infusion in her finger while soaking it in the water. Her eyes were on the water but she could perceive that the young man was looking at her.

"Ahem!" She exclaimed, making him notice that his gaze was disturbing her. It seems that he understood because he filled his own cup and took an orange tasted sachet.

"So, I see that you have many tastes."

"Those are some that Lana thought good to take for me but I kept telling her that I only drink black tea," she retorted without looking at him.

"Black is also my favorite," He kept soaking his sachet into the water, which turned into a dark orange color "So, you're trying to know why Luna did want me to join you?" Lola nodded.

"Frankly, I don't know. I don't have anything really special compared to the other guys," He pointed at his head "Except for my hair."

"Has it always been like that?"

"My parents say that since I'm an infant, I always had that strange hair color," Lincoln sadly stated "It wasn't always easy to live with it, because kids are cruel. They were always making fun of me and I ended up hiding it for about 5 or 6 years," He put out the sachet and squeezed out the water from it.

"Tell me about your parents."

"My father is from Royal Woods, he's born there and has almost always lived there. My mom is French and comes from a little town from the north of France," He chuckled and followed "She taught me to read and speak in French since I'm a little kid. Thinking it could be handy."

"So, you also speak French?"

"I think you already know the answer to that, Mademoiselle." He said with a perfect French accent, referring to the first time they met. She slightly smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I also have a brother," He added "His name is Clyde"

"What kind of person is he?"

"I would say that he is just like me. Also, he and I we were always bullied by the other kids because we were different,"

"His hair is white too?" She asked him, taking a sip.

"No, he's black," Lola choked in her cup. She stared at him until he added "He's an orphan."

Lincoln straightened up in his seat "Let's stop talking about me," He put his cup on the table and joined his fingers "I want to know more about you too. What kind of lady you are?"

"What do you want to know that Lana didn't already tell you?" She said before taking a sip, gaining a surprised look from Lincoln "Yeah, she told me that she told you our story," Her gaze fell on her cup "She really seems to like you."

Lola sighed "What to say?" She brought her cup to her mouth but didn't drink. She just let the aroma relax "I spent most of my childhood learning the proper way of acting like a true lady. At first it was just in order to obey my parents but the more I did, the more I wanted to be a true lady," She chuckled "Meeting important people, being invited at the court of the king, dancing with all sorts of noble princes or counts," She enumerated with a gentle voice "If I have to be honest, it was my dream."

"But Lana has always been different," She put back her cup on the table but still held the small handle "I remember when back then I just couldn't support her boyish behavior and she was always getting on my nerves," Lola expression darkened "And on Father's too," She sighed once again "Even if she and I were so different that people didn't believe we were sisters, we were always supporting each other."

The gears in Lincoln mind turned, and he finally got it "And that's why you had to…"

"Give up on my dreams to help Lana accomplish hers." Lola followed with a sad smile "The first days weren't the easier because I was always regretting to have left and to put everything I loved behind me. I always wanted to run back and take back my previous life. But when I saw how Lana was happy to finally being herself and not having to hide to anyone, I decided to, pardon my language, to suck it up and always being with her no matter what." Her eyes wetted a bit.

Lincoln put on his trademark soft smile and repeated to her sister the same thing he said to Lana "Brave and tough little girls."

"Look at me now," She said as she wiped her eyes "What kind of gentleman makes girls cry?"

"The one who have many things to learn from a small lady." He said while he took a sip as he kept smiling. Until he felt a sharp pain in his tibia, making him wince in pain and making Lola grin.

"Lincoln!" A little voice called from the stairs. The owner, which was Lily ran out of the stairs toward Lincoln.

"Oh. Back already?"

"I have something to show you!" She exclaimed before pulling something from her back "You see that?" She showed him a little tube in tissue which she was holding with two thread that came out of each tip. He watched it while taking a sip of his tea.

She pulled the two extremities and then BAM!

The little tube exploded, startling Lincoln and Lola at the same time. But the thing is that Lincoln spilled the hot water of his cup on himself. He wore a neutral face to hide his pain but a tear came out of his eye as he said "I think that Luan has a bad influence on you," while Lily was giggling and Lola tried to hide her laughter behind her hand.

Lincoln had now to throw his shirt into the pile of dirty linen. It began to produce some suspect odors, in addition of a new orange smell. In fact, he only realized now, that he didn't change his clothes since three days nor took a proper bath. So now, if he wanted to take a bath, he couldn't because of his lack of spare clothes. The drawback of going on an adventure without a luggage.

"Maybe Miss Leni could have something for me," He thought, recalling that she was in charge of the clothes of everyone, "Let's just hope that she doesn't have anything too girly…"

Lincoln excused himself to Lola, who between some giggles said that she completely understood. He descended the stairs, went to the cabin of Captain Lori and Miss Leni, and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Lincoln, can I come in?"

The door opened and Lori was standing in the doorway. She was wearing small round glasses and didn't have her coat and hat, "I just don't have the habit of someone knocking before coming in." She stepped away and let him come in "What's bringing you here, Mr. Loud?"

The cabin was composed of two beds. In front of them was a vanity which was beside a closet. Surprisingly there a window with a view on the starboard of the sea. One the first bed, Leni was sewing a white shirt from a pile of clothes. Lori went to a chaise longue near the second bed and took a book already opened then went back to her reading.

"I was looking for Miss Leni," Lincoln said as he was looking at the cabin which looked like a true bedroom.

"What can I do for you?" Leni asked from her seat before cutting her thread by biting it.

"Hum, that's kind of embarrassing…" He muttered, "Well, since I came onboard rather quickly I didn't really take anything with me except, well… me."

"You're not the first one to do that," Lori said without moving her eyes from her book.

"Don't worry I have plenty of shirts and pants," Leni finished to fold the shirt and put in on her bed "Except me and Lola, no one really wears dress. But," Leni quickly went behind him and took measures with a tape measure on his waist "You're quite strong so I don't know if I have something in your size," she placed a finger on her chin and thought out loud "Maybe if I look into the clothes of Lynn I can find something." She walked out of the room, leaving Lincoln in the middle of the room.

Lori licked her finger and turned a page from her book, "There is a bar of soap in the closet. Last drawer"

Lincoln went to the closet and crouched to the last closet. He opened it and was met with the sight of blank bars of soap perfectly in order. He took the first one who was at his range and closed the drawer.

"I found some things," Leni came back and handed Lincoln a folded brown pants and a red shirt, "you can wash everything after your shower," she patted his head and went back to her bed.

Lincoln, flushed, went to the bathroom and for the first time in three days, had a shower with the soap of Lori. When he went out, his hair was damp, letting it fall a bit on his forehead. He found it surprising that a shirt of Lynn fit him, well it was a bit tight but it still suited.

He went back on the deck with his dirty clothes and washed them the same way he did for the clothes of the girls. Speaking of, they had dried and he took them all before going back in the dining room and dropping them on the table.

"Isn't that the clothes of Lynn?"

Lincoln turned to the source of the voice and saw Luna with her guitar. Like everyone else, she didn't have her black purple coat, only her light purple shirt whose the sleeves have been teared up, leaving her freckled shoulders bare.

"Yeah, I had to change after having spent three days without a shower," He told her while taking a look at himself. When he looked up, Luna was in front of him taking a good look as well. Seeing her so close suddenly didn't reassure him.

"Yeah, those girl's clothes really suit you," she said almost like a whisper, "you spent some time with the others, that's really good. So, how about now, you play a bit with me now?"

"Seigneur…"

* * *

20 years ago, in a destroyed village of the Caribbean.

The horizon showed black and grey as far as you could see. Only ashes and drips of dried blood on the ground remained of the population. In the middle of this desolation, a cry.

A boy, whose the brown bangs were covering his teary eyes, covered in ashes and dust, walking, tripping over the debris of the former village. His former village. His sobs were the only sounds in this quiet and dead environment, along with some further calls.

On the beach of the isle, a bunch of sailors and soldiers from the Royal Navy had accosted. It was a group of investigators led by a commander. However, were presents, only the sailors and a dozen of soldiers who all were perplexed by a strange reaction from their commander. But where was he?

At the entrance of the village, a tall form with a Navy white coat was running toward the center of the stack of ashes. The light of the sun, piercing the clouds revealed a man. His black curly hair caught some of the volatiles particles of wood and straw ashes, giving it a grey taint. "HEEEEY!" The man called.

Behind him, were running at a slower and more tired pace, three of his lieutenant. The three wore the same blue uniform, the only difference between them was their medals.

"I'm sure I heard something."

"Who are you calling, Sir? There is no one left." One of the Lieutenant said, trying to catch his breath at the same time.

"I know what I heard! And it was a voice!" The commander replied with certitude "HEEEY!" He called again.

"Wahahaa!" A weak cry answered his call.

Perking up, the commander called again "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU?" before running faster.

In the big cloud of grey smoke, the Commander perceived something in it. He ran faster toward it until he suddenly stops.

"WATCH OUT!" He called his men behind him as he quickly kneeled down.

BANG!

A bullet passed above the commander and ended up in the knee of one the lieutenant who didn't hear the warning of their superior. He fell down and was now holding his knee while whining in pain. Another one went next to him. The last one drew his sword and pointed it at the cloud of smoke, which was beginning to fade.

When the cloud disappeared, all was left was a little boy, holding with both of his hands, a pistol with a canon from where the smoke came from, indicating the origin of the blow. Despite his actual position, the boy had tears running on his cheeks and was shaking. His grip on the handle of the weapon was trembling too, making the canon shakes as well.

"Put your pistol down!" The lieutenant shouted to the boy, who in panic, pointed the canon towards him.

"No! Wait!" The Commander shouted to his man, before bringing back his attention to the child.

"Hey, kid. Are you hurt somewhere?" He softly asked while getting up. The child instantly pointed the pistol at him. "You must be pretty scared don't you? But everything will be okay now," he continued and began to show clearly his empty hands.

The commander moved forward. "I'm just going to walk to you now. You can keep aiming at me if you want."

"Commander, what you're do-"

"Shut it." He ordered with a calm voice but with enough authority in to make the lieutenant obey.

The Commander kept walking, slowly, towards the boy who, with shaking hands and whimpers, kept aiming at him. Each step of the Navy man frightened the boy who couldn't move and was raising his canon as much as he was getting closer to him.

When the Commander was close enough, he was towering the kid. With his 2,10 meters, his shadow covered entirely the boy who tried to aim at the head of the giant in front of him. The navy man, slowly and carefully put his knees on the ground while keeping his hands in full view of the boy.

"See? I'm not here to harm you, buddy," the commander softly said, keeping his calm despite the pistol pointed at him. But his calm expression changed into a sad frown. "I know what happened there. It's… Terrible. I can't imagine what you had to go through, I'm sorry." His sad frown turned into a reassuring smile "But everything is okay now. We're here to help you."

He slowly lowered his left hand "So, how about you let me-" The child almost completely jerked at the movement of the man. He stopped himself and said with the same calm "I know you think you're safe. But you risk to hurt yourself with it." He slowly brought his hand to the canon and grabbed it.

The commander gently removed the pistol from his small trembling hands. He put it aside, then calmly talked to him, "Everything will be fine now," he gently put his hands on the shoulders of the boy "Are you alone?" The boy flinched a bit and more tears flowed. The commander mentally slapped himself and asked another question, "Do you want to come with me?" The child weakly nodded.

"Commandant, you're sure?"

Tired of the behavior of his lieutenant, the commander slightly turned his head on the right so his only eye could stare at him, sending him an ardent gaze. Something in it sent shivers down the spine of the lieutenant, making him shut himself immediately.

Once he was sure that he wouldn't say anything, he took the boy in his arms, who clutched the hem of the coat.

He turned and walked to where he came from. On his way he noticed that on the pistol were marked a golden B. When he passed at the side of the lieutenant, he said without looking at him "Bring this man to the medic." Referring to the injured lieutenant of earlier, before walking away.

Nowadays, on a Navy ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Jack was staring at the floor as he finished to tell his story. The Lieutenant Smith for him was wide-eyed. Shocked, to hear about the origin of the man the Captain was chasing. Learning that they had a relationship way deeper than he would have thought.

"I took him with me like I said earlier, then he and I ended up being attached to each other. I decided to raise him, train him and teach him the values of justice." The captain said with a sad smile of nostalgy. He then added, "He always has been a little jackass, stubborn and thick-headed just like me."

"What happened exactly for someone like him to become a dangerous and psychotic pirate?"

"I don't know. But I'm planning to discover it once I find him." He turned and looked at Smith right in the eyes "And you're going to help me with that."

"Seeing that you are my superior, it's not like I have really the choice," he stated.

"Just as you said, he is extremely dangerous. His actual bounty is of 2000 pounds, but he's worth at least 5000 pounds. Almost as much as "Strong Suit" who was 8000 pounds."

"I still can't believe we let a guy like that become a privateer." Smith mumbled, remembering how the news, of a monster like him joining the "House of cards", the private group who is under the lead of the Admiral Savy and Captain Jack, shook him.

"Three officers weren't enough to stop him so I'll have to deal with him myself." Jack followed returning his gaze on the sea.

"So, you'd be ready to kill him if you had to?" Smith asked to the back of Jack. Who flinched at the word "kill".

Silence.

Smith understood after that the Captain told him about him and Low but if he was a threat so big, he had to be treated in consequence. Smith sighed "After having committed so many crimes, it's surely the one way left to be sure he won't hurt anyone again."

"I know…" Jack answered almost like a whisper.

Thinking it was enough for today, for both him and the Captain, Smith dismissed himself. This left the Captain alone with his thoughts while he kept contemplating the sea.

* * *

 **I know that those chapters ain't really the most interesting but I intend to at first give you a good image of the characters. Making them alive.**

 **Things will really begin to move from now on. As expected, I await with great impatience any of your reviews and questions.**

 **So far, even if not all of them have been developed yet, who is your little favorite in this story? Ocs? Canon? Anyone.**


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